-^^H  OF  FRI/VCT^ 
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BX  8495    .W5  A27  1903  c.l 
Wesley,  John,  1703-1791. 
The  heart  of  John  Wesley' 
Journal 


i  \ 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2014 

https://archive.org/details/heartofjohnwesleOOwesl_0 


From  a  scarce  print  by  Bland,  published  in  year 
1765  and  approved  by  Mr.  Wesley 
JOHN  WESLEY,  AGED  SIXTY-THREE 


The  Heart  of 

John  Wesley's  Journa 


CpD  17  ""^  '0 


With  an  Introduction  by  HUGH  PRICE 
Hughes,  M.A.,  and  an  appreciation  of  the 
Journal  by  AUGUSTINE  BiRRELL,  K.C., 
Edited  by  PERCY  LIVINGSTONE  PARKER 


New  York        Chicago  Toronto 
FLEMING    H.    REVELL  COMPANY 
London  and  Edinburgh 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Facing  Page 


John  Wesley,  Aged  Sixty-three  .  .  .  Title 
Rev.  Samuel  Wesley  (Father  of 

John  Wesley)   XM. 

Rev.  John  Wesley  (Grandfather  of 

John  Wesley)   XVI. 

Death  of  John  Wesley   XXX. 

First  Methodist  "Class  IMeeting"  Called  by 

That  Name   i 

Peter  Bohler   34 

Wesley's  Interview  with  Whitefield     .      .  74 

Epworth  Church   86 

Wesley  Preaching  on  His  Father's  Tomb     .  86 

Susannah  Wesley  (Mother  of  John  Wesley)  90 

Riot  in  Wednesburv   114 

John  Wesley  in  an  Irish  Cabin  .  .  .  188 
John  Wesley  (Painting  by 

Nathaniel  Hone,  R.  A   322 

Lady  Huntingdon   348 

Wesley's  Chapel,  City  Road  ....  420 
John  Wesley  Visits  Lord  George  Gordon 

IN  THE  Tower   450 

John  Wesley  and  Dr.  Johnston       .      .      .  450 

Rev.  John  Wesley,  A.M   478 

W^esley's  Memorial  in  Westminster  Abbey  .  484 


EDITOR'S  NOTE 


Wheit  John  Wesley  prepared  his  Journal  Jor  publication 
he  prefaced  it  with  the  following  account  of  its  origin  : 

"It  was  in  pursuance  of  an  advice  given  by  Bishop 
Taylor,  in  his  '  Rules  for  Holy  Living  and  Dying^  that, 
about  fifteen  years  ago,  I  began  to  take  a  more  exact  ac- 
count than  I  had  done  before,  of  the  manner  wherein  1 
spent  my  time,  writing  down  how  I  had  employed  every  hour. 

"  This  I  continued  to  do,  wherever  I  was,  till  the  time 
of  my  leaving  England  for  Georgia.  The  variety  of  scenes 
which  I  then  passed  through  induced  me  to  transcribe,  from 
time  to  time,  the  more  material  parts  of  my  diary,  adding 
here  and  there  such  little  reflections  as  occurred  to  my  mind. 

«'  Of  this  Journal  thus  occasionally  compiled,  the  follow- 
ing is  a  short  extract :  it  not  being  my  design  to  relate  all 
those  particulars  which  I  wrote  for  my  own  use  only,  and 
which  would  answer  no  valuable  end  to  others,  however 
important  they  were  to  me." 

Rev.  John  Telford,  one  of  Wesley's  biographers,  says 
that  "  the  earlier  parts  of  the  Journal  were  published  in  the 
interest  of  Methodism,  that  the  calumny  and  slander  then 
rife  might  be  silenced  by  a  plain  narrative  of  the  facts  as 
to  its  founding,  and  its  purpose.  The  complete  Journals, 
still  preserved  in  twenty-six  bound  volumes,  have  never  been 
printed.  Copious  extracts  were  made  by  Wesley  himself, 
and  issued  in  twenty-one  parts,  the  successive  instalments 
being  eagerly  expected  by  a  host  of  readers." 


vili 


EDITOR'S  NOTE 


The  published  Journal  makes  Jour  volumes,  each  about 
the  size  of  the  present  book.  But  though  I  have  had  to 
curtail  it  by  three-quarters  I  have  tried  to  retain  the  atmo- 
sphere of  tremendous  activity  which  is  one  of  its  most 
remarkable  features,. 

Mr.  Birrell,  in  his  "  Appreciation,'"  has  focused  in  a  very 
striking  way  the  interest,  actuality,  and  charm  of  Wesley's 
Journal,  and  all  I  have  had  to  do  was  to  select  those  por- 
tions which  best  illustrate  them. 

The  wonder  is  that  it  has  not  been  done  before.  Edward 
FitzCcrald  once  ivrote  to  Professor  Norton,  "  Had  I  any 
interest  with  publishers  I  would  get  them  to  reprint  parts  of 
it"  for  he  was  a  great  lover  of  the  Journal. 

Writing  to  another  friend  about  Wesley's  Journal" 
FitzGerald  said,  "  If  you  don't  know  it,  do  know  it.  It  is 
curious  to  think  of  this  diary  running  coevally  with 
Walpole's  letters — diary — the  two  men  born  and  dying  too 
within  a  few  miles  of  one  another,  and  with  such  different 
lives  to  record.  And  it  is  remarkable  to  read  pure,  un- 
affected, undying  English,  while  Addison  and  Jolmson  are 
tainted  with  a  style  ivliich  all  the  world  imitated." 

Macaulay's  estimate  of  Wesley  may  also  be  recalled. 
Wesley,  he  said,  was  "  a  man  ivhose  eloquence  and  logical 
acuteness  might  have  made  him  eminent  in  literature, 
whose  genius  for  government  xvas  not  inferior  to  that  of 
Richelieu,  and  who,  whatever  his  errors  may  have  been, 
devoted  all  his  poivers  in  defiance  of  obloquy  and  derision, 
to  what  he  sincerely  considered  as  the  highest  good  of  his 
species." 

Wesley  is  one  of  the  most  strenuous  ethical  figures  in 
history,  and  literature  has  no  other  such  record  of  personal 
endeavour  as  that  contained  in  these  pages.  To  make  that 
record  accessible  to  every  one  is  the  object  of  this  edition. 


INTRODUCTION 


BY  THE  REV.  HUGH  PRICE  HUGHES,  MJi. 

He  who  desires  to  understand  the  real  history  of  the 
English  people  during  the  seventeenth,  eighteenth  and  ^ 
nineteenth  centuries  should  read  most  carefully  three 
books  :  George  Fox's  "  Journal,"  John  Wesley's  "  Jour- 
nal," and  John  Henry  Newman's  "  Apologia  pro  Vita 
Sua." 

As  Lord  Hugh  Cecil  has  recently  said  in  a  memorable 
speech,  the  Religious  Question  cannot  be  ignored.  It 
is  ilie  Question ;  in  the  deepest  sense  it  is  the  only 
Question.  It  has  always  determined  the  course  of 
history  everywhere.  In  all  ages  the  sceptical  literary 
class  has  tried  to  ignore  it,  as  the  Roman  historians, 
poets,  and  philosophers  ignored  Christianity  until  the 
time  when  Christianity  became  triumphant  and  dominant 
throughout  the  Roman  Empire. 

But,  however  much  ignored  or  boycotted  by  literary 
men,  the  growth  or  decline  of  religion  ultimately  settles 
everything.  Has  not  Carlyle  said  that  George  Fox 
making  his  own  clothes  is  the  most  remarkable  event 
in  our  history  ?  George  Fox  was  the  very  incarnation 
of  that  Individualism  which  has  played,  and  will  yet  play, 
so  great  a  part  in  the  making  of  modern  England.  If 
you  want  to  understand  "  the  dissidetice  of  Dissent  and 


X 


INTRODUCTION 


the  Protestantism  of  the  Protestant  religion,"  read  the 
Journal  of  George  Fox. 

Then  came  John  Wesley  and  his  "  helpers."  They 
were  the  first  preachers  since  the  days  of  the  Franciscan 
/  friars  in  the  Middle  Ages  who  ever  reached  the  working 
classes.  In  England,  as  in  France,  Germany,  and  every- 
where else,  the  Reformation  was  essentially  a  middle- 
class  movement.  It  never  captured  either  the  upper 
classes  or  the  working  classes.  That  explains  its 
limitations. 

As  Dr.  Rigg  has  shown,  Wesley's  itineraries  were 
deliberately  planned  to  bring  him  into  direct  contact 
neither  with  the  aristocracy  nor  with  the  dependent  or 
poverty-stricken  poor,  but  with  the  industrious  self- 
supporting  workmen  in  town  and  country.  The  ultimate 
result  was  that  "  the  man  in  the  street  "  became  Methodist 
in  his  conception  of  Christianity,  whatever  his  personal 
conduct  and  character  might  be.  A  profound  French 
critic  said,  fifty  years  ago,  that  modern  England  was 
Methodist,  and  the  remark  applies  equally  to  the  United 
States  and  to  our  colonies.  The  doctrines  of  the 
Evangelical  Revival  permeated  the  English-speaking 
world. 

Then  Newman  appeared  on  the  scene  and  a  tremen- 
dous change  began.  The  Anglican  Church  revived,  and 
revived  in  Newman's  direction.  We  witness  to-day  on 
every  side  the  vast  results  of  the  Newman  era.  Many  of 
these  results  are  beneficial  in  the  extreme  ;  others  cannot 
be  welcome  to  those  who  belong  to  the  schools  of  George 
Fox  and  John  Wesley. 

The  whole  future  of  the  British  Empire  depends  upon 
this  question  of  questions — Will  George  Fox  and  John 
Wesley  on  the  one  hand,  or  John  Henry  Newman  on 
the  other,  ultimately  prevail  ?     And  the  best  way  to 


INTRODUCTION 


XI 


arrive  at  the  true  inwardness  of  the  issue  is  to  read, 
ponder,  and  inwardly  digest  Wesley's  "  Journal "  and 
Newman's  "Apologia." 

It  is  a  great  advantage  that  Mr.  Parker  has  secured 
permission  to  republish  Mr.  Augustine  Birrell's  "  Appre- 
ciation." That  brilliant  writer  demonstrates,  that  there 
is  no  book  in  existence  that  gives  you  so  exact  and  vivid 
a  description  of  the  eighteenth  century  in  England  as 
Wesley's  "  Journal."  It  is  an  incalculably  more  varied 
and  complete  account  of  the  condition  of  the  people  of 
England  than  Boswell's  "Johnson."  As  Mr.  Birrell 
says,  Wesley  was  himself  "  the  greatest  force  of  the 
eighteenth  century  in  England.  No  man  lived  nearer 
the  centre  than  John  Wesley.  Neither  Clive  nor  Pitt, 
neither  Mansfield  nor  Johnson.  No  single  figure  in- 
fluenced so  many  minds,  no  single  voice  touched  so 
many  hearts.  No  other  man  did  such  a  life's  work  for 
England."  Wesley  has  demonstrated  that  a  true  prophet 
of  God  has  more  influence  than  all  the  politicians  and 
soldiers  and  millionaires  put  together.  He  is  the  incal- 
culable and  unexpected  element  that  is  always  putting 
all  the  devices  of  the  clever  to  naught. 

I  do  not  understand  what  Mr.  Birrell  means  by  saying 
that  "  as  a  writer  Wesley  has  not  achieved  distinction. 
He  was  no  Athanasius,  no  Augustine ;  he  was  ever  a 
preacher."  It  is  true  that  Wesley's  main  business  was  not 
to  define  metaphysical  theology,  but  to  cultivate  friendly 
relations  with  Christians  of  all  schools,  and  to  save 
living  men  from  sin.  But  he  gave  a  death-blow  to  the 
destructive  dogma  of  limited  solvation  with  which  the 
names  of  Augustine  and  Calvin  will  be  for  ever  asso- 
ciated. 

No  doubt,  like  Oliver  Cromwell,  Wesley  was  essentially 


INTRODUCTION 


a  "  man  of  action,"  and  he  deliberately  sacrificed  the 
niceties  of  literary  taste  to  the  greater  task  of  making 
Englishmen  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic  real  Christians. 
Even  so,  the  style  of  some  of  his  more  literary  produc- 
tions is  a  model  of  lucidity  and  grace. 

But  my  main  point  here  is  to  echo  Mr.  Birrell's  final 
statement,  that  "  we  can  learn  better  from  Wesley's 
'Journal'  than  from  anywhere  else  what  manner  of 
man  Wesley  was,  and  the  character  of  the  times  during 
which  he  lived  and  moved  and  had  his  being."  My 
co-religionists  and  all  who  love  the  most  characteristic 
qualities  of  modern  English  life  are  under  a  deep  debt  of 
obligation  to  my  friend  Mr.  Parker  and  his  publishers 
for  giving  them  an  opportunity  of  studying  the  eventful 
eighteenth  centiury  of  English  history  at  its  centre  and 
fountain-head. 

The  fact  that  this  edition  of  the  work  has  been 
condensed  is  no  drawback.  The  "  Journal,"  as  originally 
published,  was  itself  condensed  by  Wesley.  The  Book 
Room  has  in  its  possession  large  unpublished  por- 
tions of  the  manuscript,  much  of  which  will  be  in- 
cluded in  the  standard  edition  which  the  Methodist 
Editor  has  now  in  hand;  but  for  popular  purposes 
Mr.  Parker's  edition  will  answer  all  important  ends, 
and  will  give  English  readers  for  the  first  time  an 
opportunity  of  reading  in  a  handy  form  one  of  the 
most  important,  instructive,  and  entertaining  books 
ever  published  in  the  English  language. 

Of  course  Mr.  Parker  alone  is  responsible  for  the 
selection  of  the  portions  of  the  "Journal"  which  ap- 
pear in  this  volume. 

HUGH  PRICE  HUGHES 


AN  APPRECIATION  OF 


JOHN  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL* 

BY  AUGUSTINE  BIRRELL,  K.C. 

John  Wesley,  born  as  he  was  in  1703  and  dying  as  he 
did  in  1791,  covers  as  nearly  as  mortal  man  may,  the 
whole  of  the  eighteenth  century,  of  which  he  was  one  of 
the  most  typical  and  certainly  the  most  strenuous  figure. 

He  began  his  published  Journal  on  October  14, 
1735,  and  its  last  entry  is  under  date  Sunday,  October 
24,  1790,  when  in  the  morning  he  explained  to  a 
numerous  congregation  in  Spitalfields  Church  "The 
Whole  Armour  of  God,"  and  in  the  afternoon  enforced 
to  a  still  larger  audience  in  St.  Paul's,  Shadwell,  the 
great  truth,  "  One  thing  is  needful,"  the  last  words  of 
the  Journal  being  "  I  hope  many  even  then  resolved  to 
choose  the  better  part." 

Between  those  two  Octobers  there  lies  the  most 
amazing  record  of  human  exertion  ever  penned  or 
endured. 

I  do  not  know  whether  I  am  likely  to  have  among 
my  readers  any  one  who  has  ever  contested  an  English 
or  Scottish  county  in  a  parliamentary  election  since 
household  suffrage.    If  I  have,  that  tired  soul  will  know 

*  Reprinted  in  part  from  Miscellanies,  by  Augustine  Birrell  (Elliot 
Stock),  by  permissioD  of  the  author  and  the  publisher. 


APPRECIATION 


how  severe  is  the  strain  of  its  three  weeks,  and  how 
impossible  it  seemed  at  the  end  of  the  first  week  that 
you  should  be  able  to  keep  it  going  for  another  fortnight, 
and  how  when  the  last  night  arrived  you  felt  that  had 
the  strife  been  aqcidentally  prolonged  another  seven  days 
you  must  have  perished  by  the  wayside. 

Contesting  the  Three  Kingdoms 

Well,  John  Wesley  contested  the  three  kingdoms  in 
the  cause  of  Christ  during  a  campaign  which  lasted  forty 
years. 

He  did  it  for  the  most  part  on  horseback.  He  paid 
more  turnpikes  than  any  man  who  ever  bestrode  a  beast. 
Eight  thousand  miles  was  his  annual  record  for  many  a 
long  year,  during  each  of  which  he  seldom  preached  less 
frequently  than  five  thousand  times.  Had  he  but  pre- 
served his  scores  at  all  the  inns  where  he  lodged,  they 
would  have  made  by  themselves  a  history  of  prices. 
And  throughout  it  all  he  never  knew  what  depression  of 
spirits  meant — though  he  had  much  to  try  him,  suits  in 
chancery  and  a  jealous  wife. 

In  the  course  of  this  unparalleled  contest  Wesley 
visited  again  and  again  the  most  out  of  the  way  districts 
— the  remotest  corners  of  England — places  which  to-day 
lie  far  removed  even  from  the  searcher  after  the  pic- 
turesque. 

To-day,  when  the  map  of  England  looks  like  a  grid- 
iron of  railways, none  but  the  sturdiestof  pedestrians, 
the  most  determined  of  cyclists  can  retrace  the  steps  of 
Wesley  and  his  horse,  and  stand  by  the  rocks  and  the 
natural  amphitheatres  in  Cornwall  and  Northumberland 
in  Lancashire  and  Berkshire,  where  he  preached  his 
gospel  to  the  heathen. 


APPRECIATION 


Exertion  so  prolonged,  enthusiasm  so  sustained,  argues 
a  remarkable  man,  while  the  organisation  he  created,  the 
system  he  founded,  the  view  of  life  he  promulgated,  is 
still  a  great  fact  among  us.  No  other  name  than  Wesley's 
lies  embalmed  as  his  does.  Yet  he  is  not  a  popular 
figure.  Our  standard  historians  have  dismissed  him 
curtly.  The  fact  is,  Wesley  puts  your  ordinary  historian 
out  of  conceit  with  himself. 

How  much  easier  to  weave  into  your  page  the  gossip 
of  Horace  Walpole,  to  enliven  it  with  a  heartless  jest  of 
George  Selwyn's,  to  make  it  bluish  with  sad  stories  of 
the  extravagance  of  Fox,  to  embroider  it  with  the  rhetoric 
of  Burke,  to  humanise  it  with  the  talk  of  Johnson,  to 
discuss  the  rise  and  fall  of  administrations,  the  growth 
and  decay  of  the  constitution,  than  to  follow  John 
Wesley  into  the  streets  of  Bristol,  or  on  to  the  bleak 
moors  near  Burslem,  when  he  met,  face  to  face  in  all 
their  violence,  all  their  ignorance,  and  all  their  generosity 
the  living  men,  women,  and  children  who  made  up  the 
nation. 

A  Book  of  Plots,  Plays  and  Novels 

It  has  perhaps  also  to  be  admitted  that  to  found  great 
organisations  is  to  build  your  tomb — a  splendid  tomb, 
it  may  be,  a  veritable  sarcophagus,  but  none  the  less  a 
tomb.  John  Wesley's  chapels  lie  a  little  heavily  on 
John  Wesley.  Even  so  do  the  glories  of  Rome  make 
us  forgetful  of  the  grave  in  Syria. 

It  has  been  said  that  Wesley's  character  lacks  charm, 
that  mighty  antiseptic.  It  is  not  easy  to  define  charm, 
which  is  not  a  catalogue  of  qualities,  but  a  mixture. 
Let  no  one  deny  charm  to  Wesley  who  has  not  read  his 
Journal.    Southey's  Life  is  a  dull,  almost  a  stupid  book 


APPRECIATION 


which  happily  there  is  no  need  to  read.  Read  the 
Journal,  which  is  a  book  full  of  plots  and  plays  and 
novels,  which  quivers  with  life  and  is  crammed  full  ot 
characteTt 

"Wesley's  Family  Stock 

John  Wesley  came  ot  a  slock  which  had  been  much 
harassed  and  put  about  by  our  unhappy  religious  diffi- 
culties. Politics,  business,  and  religion  are  the  three 
things  Englishmen  are  said  to  worry  themselves  about. 
The  Wesleys  early  took  up  with  religion.  John  Wesley's 
great-grandfather  and  grandfather  were  both  ejected 
from  their  livings  in  1662,  and  the  grandfather  was  so 
bullied  and  oppressed  by  the  Five  Mile  Act  that  he 
early  gave  up  the  ghost.  Whereupon  his  remains  were 
refused  what  is  called  Christian  burial,  though  a  holier 
and  more  primitive  man  never  drew  breath.  This  poor, 
persecuted  spirit  left  two  sons  according  to  the  flesh, 
Matthew  and  Samuel ;  and  Samuel  it  was  who  in  his 
turn  became  the  father  of  John  and  Charles  Wesley. 

Samuel  Wesley,  though  minded  to  share  the  lot,  hard 
though  that  lot  was,  of  his  progenitors,  had  the  modera- 
tion of  mind,  the  Christian  conservatism  which  ever 
marked  the  family,  and  being  sent  to  a  dissenting  college, 
became  disgusted  with  the  ferocity  and  bigotry  he  hap- 
pened there  to  encounter.  Those  were  the  days  of  the 
Calfs  Head  Club  and  feastings  on  the  29th  of  January, 
graceless  meals  for  which  Samuel  Wesley  had  no  stomach. 
His  turn  was  for  the  things  that  are  "  quiet,  wise,  and 
good."  He  departed  from  the  dissenting  seminary  and 
in  1685  entered  himself  as  a  poor  scholar  at  Exeter 
College,  Oxford.  He  brought  jOz  6s.  with  him,  and  as 
for  prospects,  he  had  none.    Exeter  received  him. 


-si 
H  fen 


APPRECIATION 


xvii 


During  the  eighteenth  century  our  two  universities, 
famous  despite  their  faults,  were  always  open  to  the 
poor  scholar  who  was  ready  to  subscribe,  not  to  boat 
clubs  or  cricket  clubs,  but  to  the  Thirty-nine  Articles, 
Three  archbishops  of  Canterbury  during  the  eighteenth 
century  were  the  sons  of  small  tradesmen.  There  was, 
in  fact,  much  less  snobbery  and  money-worship  during 
the  century  when  the  British  empire  was  being  won 
than  during  the  century  when  it  is  being  talked  about. 

Samuel  Wesley  was  allowed  to  remain  at  Oxford, 
where  he  supported  himself  by  devices  known  to  his 
tribe,  and  when  he  left  the  university  to  be  ordained  he 
had  clear  in  his  pouch,  after  discharging  his  few  debts, 
^lo  15s.  He  had  thus  made  ^8  gs.  out  of  his 
university,  and  had  his  education,  as  it  were,  thrown  in 
for  nothing.  He  soon  obtained  a  curacy  in  London 
and  married  a  daughter  of  the  well-known  ejected 
clergyman,  Dr.  Annesley,  about  whom  you  may  read  in 
another  eighteenth-century  book  "  The  Life  and  Errors 
of  John  Dunton." 

Wesley*s  Mother 

The  mother  of  the  Wesleys  was  a  remarkable  woman, 
though  cast  in  a  mould  not  much  to  our  minds 
nowadays.  She  had  nineteen  children,  and  greatly 
prided  herself  on  having  taught  them,  one  after  another, 
by  frequent  chastisements  to,  what  do  you  think?  to 
ciy  softly.  She  had  theories  of  education  and  strength 
of  will,  and  of  arm  too,  to  carry  them  out. 

She  knew  Latin  and  Greek,  and  though  a  stern, 
forbidding,  almost  an  unfeeling,  parent,  she  was  suc- 
cessful in  winning  and  retaining  not  only  the  respect 
but  the  affection  of  such  of  her  huge  family  as  lived  to 


xviii 


APPRECIATION 


grow  up.  But  out  of  the  nineteen,  thirteen  early 
succumbed.  Infant  mortality  was  one  of  the  great  facts 
of  the  eighteenth  century  whose  Rachels  had  to  learn  to 
cry  softly  over  their  dead  babes.  The  mother  of  the 
Wesleys  thought  more  of  her  children's  souls  than  of 
their  bodies. 

A  Domestic  Squall 

The  revolution  of  1688  threatened  to  disturb  the 
early  married  life  of  Samuel  Wesley  and  his  spouse. 

The  husband  wrote  a  pamphlet  in  which  he  defended 
revolution  principles,  but  the  wife  secretly  adhered  to 
the  old  cause;  nor  was  it  until  a  year  before  Dutch 
William's  death  that  the  rector  made  the  discovery  that 
the  wife  of  his  bosom,  who  had  sworn  to  obey  him  and 
regard  him  as  her  over-lord,  was  not  in  the  habit  of 
saying  Amen  to  his  fervent  prayers  on  behalf  of  his 
suffering  sovereign.  An  explanation  was  demanded  and 
the  truth  extracted,  namely,  that  in  the  opinion  of  the 
rector's  wife  her  true  king  lived  over  the  water.  The 
rector  at  once  refused  to  live  with  Mrs.  Wesley  any 
longer  until  she  recanted.  This  she  refused  to  do, 
and  for  a  twelvemonth  the  couple  dwelt  apart,  when 
William  III.  having  the  good  sense  to  die,  a  reconcilia- 
tion became  possible.  If  John  Wesley  was  occasionally 
a  little  pig-headed,  need  one  wonder  ? 

The  story  of  the  fire  at  Epworth  Rectory  and  the 
miraculous  escape  of  the  infant  John  was  once  a  tale 
as  well  known  as  Alfred  in  the  neat-herd's  hut,  and 
pictures  of  it  still  hang  up  in  many  a  collier's  home. 

John  Wesley  received  a  sound  classical  education  at 
Charterhouse  and  Christ  Church,  and  remained  all  his 
life  very  much  the  scholar  and  the  gentleman.  No 


APPRECIATION 


XIX 


company  was  too  good  for  John  Wesley,  and  nobody 
knew  better  than  he  did  that  had  he  cared  to  carry  his 
powerful  intelligence,  his  flawless  constitution,  and  his 
infinite  capacity  for  taking  pains  into  any  of  the  markets 
of  the  world,  he  must  have  earned  for  himself  place, 
fame,  and  fortune. 

Coming,  however,  as  he  did  of  a  theological  stock, 
having  a  saint  for  a  father  and  a  notable  devout  woman 
for  a  mother,  Wesley  from  his  early  days  learned  to 
regard  religion  as  the  business  of  his  life,  just  as  the 
younger  Pitt  came  to  regard  the  House  of  Commons  as 
the  future  theatre  of  his  actions. 

**My  Jack  is  Fellow  of  Lincoln** 

After  a  good  deal  of  heart-searching  and  theological 
talk  with  his  mother,  Wesley  was  ordained  a  deacon  by 
the  excellent  Potter,  afterward  Primate,  but  then  (1725) 
Bishop  of  Oxford.  In  the  following  year  Wesley  was 
elected  a  Fellow  of  Lincoln,  to  the  great  delight  of  his 
father.  "Whatever  I  am,"  said  the  good  old  man, 
"  my  Jack  is  Fellow  of  Lincoln." 

Wesley's  motive  never  eludes  us.  In  his  early  man- 
hood, after  being  greatly  affected  by  Jeremy  Taylor's 
"  Holy  Living  and  Dying  "  and  the  "  Imitatio  Christi," 
and  by  Law's  "  Serious  Call "  and  "  Christian  Perfection," 
he  met  "a  serious  man"  who  said  to  him,  "Sir,  you 
wish  to  serve  God  and  go  to  heaven.  Remember  you 
cannot  serve  Him  alone.  You  must  therefore  find  com- 
panions or  make  them.  The  Bible  knows  nothing  of 
solitary  religion." 

He  was  very  confident,  this  serious  man,  and  Wesley 
never  forgot  his  message.    "You  must  find  companions 


rx 


APPRECIATION 


or  make  them.  The  Bible  knows  nothing  of  solitary 
religion."  These  words  for  ever  sounded  in  Wesley's 
ears,  determining  his  theology,  which  rejected  the  stern 
individualism  of  Calvin,  and  fashioning  his  whole  polity, 
his  famous  class  meetings  and  generally  gregarious 
methods. 

Therefore  to  him  it  was  given 
Many  to  save  with  himself. 

We  may  continue  the  quotation  and  apply  to  Wesley  the 
words  of  Mr.  Arnold's  memorial  to  his  father : 

Languor  was  not  in  his  heart. 
Weakness  not  in  his  word, 
Weariness  not  on  his  brow. 

If  you  ask  what  is  the  impression  left  upon  the  reader 
of  the  Journal  as  to  the  condition  of  England  question, 
the  answer  will  vary  very  much  with  the  tenderness  of 
the  reader's  conscience  and  with  the  extent  of  his 
acquaintance  with  the  general  behaviour  of  mankind  at 
all  times  and  in  all  places. 

No  Sentimentalist 

Wesley  himself  is  no  alarmist,  no  sentimentalist,  he 
never  gushes,  seldom  exaggerates,  and  always  writes  on 
an  easy  level.  Naturally  enough  he  clings  to  the  super- 
natural and  is  always  disposed  to  believe  in  the  bona 
fides  of  ghosts  and  the  diabolical  origin  of  strange  noises, 
but  outside  this  realm  of  speculation,  Wesley  describes 
things  as  he  saw  them.  In  the  first  published  words  of 
his  friend,  Dr.  Johnson,  "  he  meets  with  no  basilisks 
that  destroy  with  their  eyes,  his  crocodiles  devour  their 
prey  without  tears,  and  his  cataracts  fall  from  the  rocks 
without  deafening  the  neighbouring  inhabitants." 


APPRECIATION 


xxi 


Wesley's  humour  is  of  the  species  donnish,  and  his 
modes  and  methods  quietly  persistent. 

"Wesley's  Humour 

««0n  Thursday,  May  20  (1742),  I  set  out.  The  next 
afternoon  I  stopped  a  Httle  at  Newport-Pagnell  and  then 
rode  on  till  I  overtook  a  serious  man  with  whom  I 
immediately  fell  into  conversation.  He  presently  gave 
me  to  know  what  his  opinions  were,  therefore  I  said 
nothing  to  contradict  them.  But  that  did  not  content 
him.  He  was  quite  uneasy  to  know  '  whether  I  held 
the  doctrines  of  the  decrees  as  he  did ' ;  but  I  told  him 
over  and  over  '  We  had  better  keep  to  practical  things 
lest  we  should  be  angry  at  one  another.'  And  so  we 
did  for  two  miles  till  he  caught  me  unawares  and  dragged 
me  into  the  dispute  before  I  knew  where  I  was.  He 
then  grew  warmer  and  warmer ;  told  me  I  was  rotten  at 
heart  and  supposed  I  was  one  of  John  Wesley's  followers. 
I  told  him  •  No.  I  am  John  Wesley  himself.'  Upon 
which 

Improvisum  aspris  Veluti  qui  seniibtts  anguem 

Presset  

he  would  gladly  have  run  away  outright.  But  being  the 
better  mounted  of  the  two  I  kept  close  to  his  side  and 
endeavoured  to  show  him  his  heart  till  we  came  into  the 
street  of  Northampton." 

What  a  picture  have  we  here  of  a  fine  May  morning 
in  1742,  the  unhappy  Calvinist  trying  to  shake  off  the 
Arminian  Wesley  !  But  he  cannot  do  it !  John  Wesley 
is  the  better  moitnted  of  the  two,  and  so  they  scamper 
together  into  Northampton. 

The  England  described  in  the  Journal  is  an  England 
still  full  of  theology;  all  kinds  of  queer  folk  abound; 


xxii 


APPRECIATION 


strange  subjects  are  discussed  in  odd  places.  There 
was  drunkenness  and  cock-fighting,  no  doubt,  but  there 
were  also  Deists,  Mystics,  Swedenborgians,  Antinomians, 
Necessitarians,  Anabaptists,  Quakers,  nascent  heresies, 
and  slow-dying  delusions.  Villages  were  divided  into 
rival  groups,  which  fiercely  argued  the  nicest  points  in 
the  aptest  language.  Nowadays  in  one's  rambles  a  man 
is  as  likely  to  encounter  a  grey  badger  as  a  black 
Calvinist. 

England  in  Wesley*s  Day 

The  clergy  of  the  Established  Church  were  jealous  of 
Wesley's  interference  in  their  parishes,  nor  was  this 
unnatural — he  was  not  a  Nonconformist  but  a  brother 
churchman.  What  right  had  he  to  be  so  peripatetic? 
But  Wesley  seldom  records  any  instance  of  gross  clerical 
misconduct.  Of  one  drunken  parson  he  does  indeed 
tell  us,  and  he  speaks  disapprovingly  of  another  whom 
he  found  one  very  hot  day  consuming  a  pot  of  beer  in  a 
lone  ale-house.  I  am  bound  to  confess  I  have  never 
had  any  but  kindly  feelings  toward  that  thirsty  eccle- 
siastic. What,  I  wonder,  was  he  thinking  of  as  Wesley 
rode  by — Litres  Meditations  (Tun  Solitaire  Inconnu — 
unpublished  1 

When  Wesley,  with  that  dauntless  courage  of  his,  a 
courage  which  never  forsook  him,  which  he  wore  on 
every  occasion  with  the  delightful  ease  of  a  soldier, 
pushed  his  way  into  fierce  districts,  amid  rough  miners 
dwelling  in  their  own  village  communities  almost  outside 
the  law,  what  most  strikes  one  with  admiration,  not  less 
in  Wesley's  Journal  than  in  George  Fox's  (a  kindred 
though  earlier  volume),  is  the  essential  fitness  for  freedom 
of  our  rudest  populations.    They  were  coarse  and  brutal 


APPRECIATION 


xxiii 


and  savage,  but  rarely  did  they  fail  to  recognise  the  high 
character  and  lofty  motives  of  the  dignified  mortal  who 
had  travelled  so  far  to  speak  to  them. 

The  Mobs  He  Met 

Wesley  was  occasionally  hustled,  and  once  or  twice 
pelted  with  mud  and  stones,  but  at  no  time  were  his 
sufferings  at  the  hands  of  the  mob  to  be  compared  with 
the  indignities  it  was  long  the  fashion  to  heap  upon  the 
heads  of  parliamentary  candidates.  The  mob  knew  and 
appreciated  the  difference  between  a  Bubb  Dodington 
and  a  John  Wesley. 

I  do  not  think  any  ordinary  Englishman  will  be  much 
horrified  at  the  demeanour  of  the  populace.  If  there 
was  disturbance  it  was  usually  quelled.  At  Norwich  two 
soldiers  who  disturbed  a  congregation  were  seized  and 
carried  before  their  commanding  officer,  who  ordered 
them  to  be  soundly  whipped.  In  Wesley's  opinion  they 
richly  deserved  all  they  got  He  was  no  sentimentalist, 
although  an  enthusiast. 

Where  the  reader  of  the  Journal  will  be  shocked  is 
when  his  attention  is  called  to  the  public  side  of  the 
country — to  the  state  of  the  gaols — to  Newgate,  to 
Bethlehem,  to  the  criminal  code — to  the  brutality  of  so 
many  of  the  judges,  and  the  harshness  of  the  magistrates, 
to  the  supineness  of  the  bishops,  to  the  extinction  in 
high  places  of  the  missionary  spirit — in  short,  to  the 
heavy  slumber  of  humanity, 

Wesley  was  full  of  compassion,  of  a  compassion  wholly 
free  from  hysterics  and  Hke  exaltative.  In  public  affairs 
his  was  the  composed  zeal  of  a  Howard.  His  efforts  to 
penetrate  the  dark  places  were  long  in  vain.  He  says  in 
his  dry  way  :  "  They  won't  let  me  go  to  Bedlam  because 


zxiv 


APPRECIATION 


they  say  I  make  the  inmates  mad,  or  into  Newgate 
because  I  make  them  wicked."  The  reader  of  the 
Journal  will  be  at  no  loss  to  see  what  these  sapient 
magistrates  meant. 

Wesley  was  a  te;rribly  exciting  preacher,  quiet  though 
his  manner  was.  He  pushed  matters  home  without 
flinching.  He  made  people  cry  out  and  fall  down,  nor 
did  it  surprise  him,  that  they  should. 

•  «  *  •  • 

Ever  a  Preacher 

Ii  you  want  to  get  into  the  last  century,  to  feel  its 
pulses  throb  beneath  your  finger,  be  content  sometimes 
to  leave  the  letters  of  Horace  Walpole  unturned,  resist 
the  drowsy  temptation  to  waste  your  time  over  the 
learned  triflers  who  sleep  in  the  seventeen  volumes  of 
Nichols,  nay  even  deny  yourself  your  annual  reading  of 
Boswell  or  your  biennial  retreat  with  Sterne,  and  ride  up 
and  down  the  country  with  the  greatest  force  of  the 
eighteenth  century  in  England. 

No  man  lived  nearer  the  centre  than  John  Wesley. 
Neither  Clive  nor  Pitt,  neither  Mansfield  nor  Johnson. 
You  cannot  cut  him  out  of  our  national  life.  No  single 
figure  influenced  so  many  minds,  no  single  voice  touched 
so  many  hearts.  No  other  man  did  such  a  life's  work 
for  England. 

As  a  writer  he  has  not  achieved  distinction,  he  was  no 
Athanasius,  no  Augustine,  he  was  ever  a  preacher  and 
an  organiser,  a  labourer  in  the  service  of  humanity ;  but 
happily  for  us  his  Journals  remain,  and  from  them  we 
can  learn  better  than  from  anywhere  else  what  manner 
of  man  he  was,  and  the  character  of  the  times  during 
which  he  lived  and  moved  and  had  his  being. 

AUGUSTINE  BIRRELL. 


WESLEY'S  LAST  HOURS 


BY  ONE  WHO  WAS  PRESENT  * 

ONThursday  [February  24th,  1791]  Mr.  Wesley  paid  his 
last  visit  to  that  lovely  place  and  family,  Mr.  Wolffs,  at 
Balaam,  which  I  have  often  heard  him  speak  of  with 
pleasure  and  much  affection.  Here  Mr.  Rogers  said  he 
was  cheerful,  and  seemed  nearly  as  well  as  usual,  till 
Friday,  about  breakfast  time,  when  he  seemed  very 
heavy. 

About  eleven  o'clock  Mrs.  Wolff  brought  him  home : 
I  was  struck  with  his  manner  of  getting  out  of  the  coach, 
and  going  into  the  house,  but  more  so  as  he  went 
upstairs,  and  when  he  sat  down  in  the  chair.  I  ran  for 
some  refreshment,  but  before  I  could  get  anything  for 

him  he  had  sent  Mr.  R          out  of  the  room,  and 

desired  not  to  be  interrupted  for  half-an-hour  by  any  one, 
adding,  not  even  if  Joseph  Bradford  come. 

Mr.  Bradford  came  a  few  minutes  after,  and  as  soon 
as  the  limited  time  was  expired,  went  into  the  room ; 
immediately  after  he  came  out  and  desired  me  to  mull 
some  wine  with  spices  and  carry  it  to  Mr.  Wesley :  he 

*  This  account  (condensed)  was  written  by  Betsy  Ritchie,  one  of  the 
saints  of  early  Methodism.  At  the  time  she  was  about  thirty-nine,  and 
for  the  last  two  months  of  Wesley's  life  was  his  constant  companion. 


xxvi  WESLEY'S  LAST  HOURS 


drank  a  little  and  seemed  sleepy.  In  a  few  minutes  he 
was  seized  with  sickness,  tlirew  it  up,  and  said,  "  I  must 
lie  down."  We  immediately  sent  for  Dr.  Wtiitehead  :  on 
his  coming  in  Mr.  Wesley  smiled  and  said,  "  Doctor, 
they  are  more  afraid  than  hurt."  He  lay  most  of  the 
day,  with  a  quick  pulse,  burning  fever  and  extremely 
sleepy. 

Saturday  the  26th,  he  continued  much  the  same; 
spoke  but  Uttle,  and  if  roused  to  answer  a  question,  or 
take  a  little  refreshment  (which  was  seldom  more  than  a 
spoonful  at  a  time)  soon  dozed  again. 

On  Sunday  morning,  with  a  little  of  Mr.  Bradford's 
help,  Mr.  Wesley  got  up,  took  a  cup  of  tea,  and  seemed 
much  better.  Many  of  our  friends  were  all  hopes :  yet 
Dr.  Whitehead  said,  he  was  not  out  of  danger  from  his 
present  complaints. 

Monday  the  28th,  his  weakness  increased  apace  and 
his  friends  in  general  being  greatly  alarmed,  Dr.  White- 
head was  desirous  they  should  call  in  another  physician. 
Mr.  Bradford  mentioned  his  desire  to  our  Honoured 
Father,  which  he  absolutely  refused,  saying,  "  Dr.  White- 
head knows  my  condition  better  than  any  one;  I  am 
perfectly  satisfied  and  will  not  have  any  one  else."  He 
slept  most  of  the  day,  spoke  but  little;  yet  that  little 
testified  how  much  his  whole  heart  was  taken  up  in  the 
case  of  the  Churches,  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  things 
pertaining  to  that  kingdom  to  which  he  was  hastening. 
Once  in  a  low,  1  ut  very  distinct  manner,  he  said,  "  There 
is  no  way  into  the  holiest  but  by  the  blood  of  Jesus." 
Had  he  had  strength  at  the  time,  it  seemed  as  if  he  would 
have  said  more. 

Tuesday,  March  ist,  after  a  very  restless  night  (though, 
when  asked  whether  he  was  in  pain,  he  generally  answered 
"  No,"  and  never  complained  through  his  whole  illness, 


WESLEY'S  LAST  HOURS  xxvii 

except  once,  when  he  said  that  he  felt  a  pain  in  his  left 
breast,  when  he  drew  his  breath),  he  began  singing : 

"All  glory  to  God  in  the  sky, 

And  peace  upon  earth  be  restor'd." 

[Having  sung  two  verses]  his  strength  failed,  but  after 
lying  still  awhile  he  called  on  Mr.  Bradford  to  give  him 
a  pen  and  ink ;  he  brought  them,  but  the  right  hand  had 
well-nigh  forgot  its  cunning,  and  those  active  fingers 
which  had  been  the  blessed  instruments  of  spiritual  con- 
solation and  pleasing  instruction  to  thousands,  could  no 
longer  perform  their  office.  Some  time  after,  he  said  to 
me,  "  I  want  to  write  " :  I  brought  him  a  pen  and  ink, 
and  on  putting  the  pen  into  his  hand,  and  holding  the 
paper  before  him,  he  said,  "I  cannot."  I  replied,  "Let 
me  write  for  you,  sir;  tell  me  what  you  would  say." 
"Nothing,"  returned  he,  "but  that  God  is  with  us." 
In  the  forenoon  he  said,  "  I  will  get  up."  While  his 
things  were  getting  ready,  he  broke  out  in  a  manner 
which,  considering  his  extreme  weakness,  astonished  us 
all,  in  these  blessed  words : 

*•  I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath. 
And  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death, 

Praise  shall  employ  my  nobler  pow'rs; 
My  days  of  praise  shall  ne'er  be  past, 
While  life,  and  thought,  and  being  last. 

Or  immortality  endures." 

Which  were  also  the  last  words  our  Reverend  and 
dear  Father  ever  gave  out  in  the  City  Road  Chapel,  viz., 
on  Tuesday  evening  before  preaching  from,  "  We  through 
the  Spirit  wait,"  &c. 

When  he  got  into  his  chair,  we  saw  him  change  for 
death :  but  he,  regardless  of  his  dying  frame,  said,  with 


WESLEY'S  LAST  HOURS 


a  weak  voice,  "  Lord,  Thou  givest  strength  to  those  that 
can  speak,  and  to  those  that  cannot :  Speak,  Lord,  to  all 
our  hearts,  and  let  them  know  that  Thou  loosest  tongues." 
He  then  sang : 

"To  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoit, 
Who  sweetly  all  agree." 

Here  his  voice  failed  him,  and  after  gaspinc^  for  breath, 
he  said,  "  Now  we  have  done — Let  us  all  go."  We  were 
obliged  to  lay  him  down  on  the  bed  from  which  he  rose 
no  more :  but  after  lying  still,  and  sleeping  a  little,  he 
called  me  to  him  and  said,  "  Betsy,  you  Mr.  Bradford,  &c., 
pray  and  praise."  We  knelt  down,  and  truly  our  hearts 
were  filled  with  the  divine  presence ;  the  room  seemed 
to  be  filled  with  God. 

A  httle  after  he  spoke  to  Mr.  Bradford  about  the  key 
and  contents  oi  his  bureau ;  while  he  attended  to  the 
directions  given  him,  Mr.  Wesley  called  me  and  said,  "I 
would  have  all  things  ready  for  my  Executors,  Mr.  Wolft, 
Mr.  Horton,  and  Mr.  Marriott " — here  his  voice  again 
failed ;  but  taking  breath  he  added,  "  Let  me  be  buried 
in  nothing  but  what  is  woollen,  and  let  my  corpse  be 
carried  in  my  coffin  into  the  Chapel."  Then,  as  if  done 
with  all  below,  he  again  begged  we  would  pray  and  praise. 

The  next  pleasing  awful  scene  was  the  great  exertion 
he  made  in  order  to  make  Mr.  B.  (who  had  not  left  the 
room)  understand  that  he  fervently  desired  a  sermon  he 
had  written  on  the  Love  of  God  should  be  scattered 
abroad,  and  given  away  to  everybody.  Something  else 
he  wished  to  say,  but,  alas  !  his  speech  failed ;  and  those 
lips  which  used  to  feed  many  were  no  longer  able  (except 
when  particular  strength  was  given)  to  convey  their  accus- 
tomed sounds. 


WESLEY'S  LAST  HOURS  xxix 


A  little  after,  Mr.  Horton  coming  in,  we  hoped  that  if 
he  had  anything  of  moment  on  his  mind,  which  he  wished 
to  communicate,  he  would  again  try  to  tell  us  what  it 
was,  and  that  either  Mr.  Horton,  or  some  of  those  who 
were  most  used  to  hear  our  dear  Father's  dying  voice 
would  be  able  to  interpret  his  meaning ;  but  though  he 
strove  to  speak,  we  were  still  unsuccessful :  finding  we 
could  not  understand  what  he  said,  he  paused  a  little, 
and  then  with  all  the  remaining  strength  he  had,  cried 
out,  "  The  best  of  all  is,  God  is  with  us  " ; — and  then, 
as  if  to  assert  the  faithfulness  of  our  promise-keeping 
Jehovah,  and  comfort  the  hearts  of  his  weeping  friends, 
lifting  up  his  dying  arm  in  token  of  victory,  and  raising 
his  feeble  voice  with  a  holy  triumph  not  to  be  expressed, 
again  repeated  the  heart-reviving  words,  "The  best  of  all 
is,  God  is  with  us  ! " 

Some  time  after,  giving  him  something  to  wet  his 
parched  lips,  he  said,  "  It  will  not  do,  we  must  take  the 
consequence;  never  nund  the  poor  carcase."  Pausing  a 
little,  he  cried,  "  The  clouds  drop  fatness ! "  and  soon 
after,  "The  Lord  is  with  us,  the  God  of  Jacob  is  our 
refuge !  "  He  then  called  us  to  prayer.  Mr.  Broadbent 
was  again  the  mouth  of  our  full  hearts,  and  though  Mr 
Wesley  was  greatly  exhausted  by  these  exertions,  he 
appeared  still  more  fervent  in  spirit.  Most  of  the  night 
following,  though  he  was  often  heard  attempting  to  repeat 
the  psalm  before-mentioned,  he  could  only  get  out, 

"I'll  praise  Til  praise  1 " 

On  Wednesday  morning  we  found  the  closing  scene 
drew  near.  Mr.  Bradford,  his  faithful  friend,  and  most 
affectionate  son,  prayed  with  him,  and  the  last  word  he 
was  heard  to  articulate  was,  "  Farewell  1"   A  few  minutes 


WESLEY'S  LAST  HOURS 


before  ten,  while  Miss  Wesley,  Mr.  Horton,  Mr.  Bracken- 
bury,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rogers,  Dr.  Whitehead,  Mr.  Broad- 
bent,  Mr.  Whitfield,  Mr,  Bradford,  and  E.  R.  were 
kneeling  around  his  bed ;  according  to  his  often  expressed 
desire,  without  x  a  lingering  groan,  this  man  of  God 
gathered  up  his  feet  in  the  presence  of  his  brethren  1 


IMPORTANT  WESLEY  DATES 


Wesley  Born        ......     June  17,  1703 

Epworth  Parsonage  Burned  1709 

Goes  to  Charterhouse  School  •  1714 

Enters  Christ  Church,  Oxford  1720 

Ordained  Deacon   .  1725 

Wesley's  First  Sermon,  Preached  at  S.  Leigh  .  .  1725 
Elected  Fellow  of  Lincoln  College  .....  T726 
Left  Oxford  to  Assist  his  Father  .....  1727 

Holy  Club  Started  1727 

Ordained  Priest  1728 

Returned  to  Oxford  as  Tutor  1729 

Went  to  Georgia  1735 

Published  " Journal"  Begins ,       ...       Oc/.  14,  1735 

Returned  to  England  1738 

Met  Peter  Bbhler  Feb.  7,  1738 

Famous  Meeting  in  Aldersgate  Street  when  Wesley's 

"  heart  was  strangely  warmed  "  .  .  May  24,  1738 
Wesley  Begiits  Open  Air  Preaching  ....  1739 
Foundery  {the  Cradle  of  Methodism)  Taken  .  .  ,  1739 
First  Methodist  Preaching -place  Built  at  Bristol  ,       .  1739 

Lay  Preachers  Employed  1741 

Methodist  Classes  Established  at  Bristol       .      .      ,  1742 

First  Conference  (London)  1744 

Wesley  Married  175 1 

City  Road  Chapel  Built  1778 


xxxli        IMPORTANT  WESLEY  DATES 


Wesley's  Wife  Died  1781 

Wesley's  Last  Field  Preaching  {at  Winchelsea)  Oct.  6,  1790 

Last  Entry  in  his  Journal    ....  Oct.  24,  1790 

Last  Sermon  in  City  Road    ...»  Feb.  22,  1791 

His  Last  Sermon  (Leatherhead)    .       •       .  Feb.  23,  1791 

His  Last  Letter  {tb  Wilberforce)    ,      *      ,  Feb.  24,  1791 

Returned  to  City  Road  House  to  Die     .       .  Feb.  25,  1791 

Wesley  Died  in  his  Eighty -eighth  Year ,      .  March  2,  1791 


PROGRESS  OF  METHODISM 

When  Wesley  died  in  1791,  there  were  in  England 
about  79,000  Methodists,  Members  of  Society  Classes, 
and  312  Ministers  in  Circuits.  In  America  and 
Canada  there  were  about  40,000  or  50,000  Methodists. 
Total  119,000. 

At  the  Qicumenical  Methodist  Conference  held  in 
London  in  igor,  the  marvellous  growth  of  Methodism — 
the  result  of  Wesley's  work — was  shown  in  the  following 
figures  ;  they  indicate  the  extent  of  Methodism  through- 
out  the  world:  Ministers,  48,334;  Local  Preachers, 
104,786;  Churches,  89,087;  Members,  7,659,285; 
Sunday  Schools,  81,228 :  Teachers  and  Officers, 
861,392;  Scholars  71077,079;  and  Adherent*, 
«4,899,42i. 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


The  first  entry  in  Wesley's  Journal  is  that  of  October  14, 
1735.  But  the  following  letter,  which  Wesley  published 
with  the  first  edition  of  his  Journal,  precedes  it,  as  it 
describes  the  incidents  which  led  to  the  formation  of  the 
Holy  Club  and  to  the  social  activities  from  which,  as 
the  Journal  shows,  Methodism  has  evolved. 

The  letter  was  written  from  Oxford  in  1732  to  Mr. 
Morgan,  whose  son  is  mentioned.    It  runs  thus : 

Wesley  Begins  his  Work 

In  November  1729,  at  which  time  I  came  to  reside 
at  Oxford,  your  son  [Mr.  Morgan],  my  brother,  myself, 
and  one  more,  agreed  to  spend  three  or  four  evenings 
in  a  week  together.  Our  design  was  to  read  over  the 
classics,  which  we  had  before  read  in  private,  on 
common  nights,  and  on  Sunday  some  book  in  divinity. 
In  the  summer  following,  Mr.  M.  told  me  he  had  called 
at  the  gaol,  to  see  a  man  who  was  condemned  for 
killing  his  wife;  and  that,  from  the  talk  he  had  with 
one  of  the  debtors,  he  verily  believed  it  would  do  much 
good,  if  any  one  would  be  at  the  pains  of  now  and  then 
speaking  with  them. 

This  he  so  frequently  repeated,  that  on  August  24, 
1730,  my  brother  and  I  walked  with  him  to  the  castle. 
We  were  so  well  satisfied  with  our  conversation  there, 

A 


6  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1730 

that  we  agreed  to  go  thither  once  or  twice  a  week; 
which  we  had  not  done  long,  before  he  desired  me  to 
go  with  him  to  see  a  poor  woman  in  the  town,  who  was 
sick.  In  this  employment  too,  when  we  came  to  reflect 
upon  it,  we  believed  it  would  be  worth  while  to  spend 
an  hour  or  two  in  a  week ;  provided  the  minister  of  the 
parish,  in  which  any  such  person  was,  were  not  against 
it.  But  that  we  might  not  depend  wholly  on  our  own 
judgments,  I  wrote  an  account  to  my  father  of  our 
whole  design ;  withal  begging  that  he,  who  had  lived 
seventy  years  in  the  world,  and  seen  as  much  of  it  as 
most  private  men  have  ever  done,  would  advise  us 
whether  we  had  yet  gone  too  far,  and  whether  we 
should  now  stand  still,  or  go  forward. 

Origin  of  the  Holy  Club 

In  pursuance  of  [his]  directions,  I  immediately  went  to 
Mr.  Gerard,  the  Bishop  of  Oxford's  chaplain,  who  was 
likewise  the  person  that  took  care  of  the  prisoners  when 
any  were  condemned  to  die  (at  other  times  they  were 
left  to  their  own  care) :  I  proposed  to  him  our  design  of 
serving  them  as  far  as  we  could,  and  my  own  intention 
to  preach  there  once  a  month,  if  the  bishop  approved 
of  it.  He  much  commended  our  design,  and  said  he 
would  answer  for  the  bishop's  approbation,  to  whom  he 
would  take  the  first  opportunity  of  mentioning  it.  It 
was  not  long  before  he  informed  me  he  had  done  so, 
and  that  his  lordship  not  only  gave  his  permission,  but 
was  greatly  pleased  with  the  undertaking,  and  hoped  it 
would  have  the  desired  success. 

Soon  after,  a  gentleman  of  Merton  College,  who  was 
one  of  our  little  company,  which  now  consisted  of  five 
persons,  acquainted  us  that  he  had  been  much  rallied 
the  day  before  for  being  a  member  of  the  Holy  Club ; 


Oct.  1735    WESLEY  SAILS  FOR  AMERICA  3 


and  that  it  was  become  a  common  topic  of  mirth  at  his 
college,  where  they  had  found  out  several  of  our 
customs,  to  which  we  were  ourselves  utter  strangers. 
Upon  this  I  consulted  my  father  again. 

Upon  [his]  encouragement  we  still  continued  to  meet 
together  as  usual ;  and  to  confirm  one  another,  as  well 
as  we  could,  in  our  resolutions,  to  communicate  as  often 
as  we  had  opportunity  (which  is  here  once  a  week) ; 
and  do  what  service  we  could  to  our  acquaintance,  the 
prisoners,  and  two  or  three  poor  families  in  the  town. 


"Wesley  Sails  for  Amefica 
1735.  Tuesday,  October  14. — Mr.  Benjamin  Ingham, 
of  Queen's  College,  Oxford ;  Mr.  Charles  Delamotte,  son 
of  a  merchant,  in  London,  who  had  offered  himself  some 
days  before;  my  brother,  Charles  Wesley,  and  myself, 
took  boat  for  Gravesend,  in  order  to  embark  for  Georgia. 

Our  end  in  leaving  our  native  country  was  not  to 
avoid  want  (God  having  given  us  plenty  of  temporal 
blessings),  nor  to  gain  the  dung  or  dross  of  riches  or 
honour;  but  singly  this — to  save  our  souls;  to  live 
wholly  to  the  glory  of  God.  In  the  afternoon  we  found 
the  "  Simmonds  "  off  Gravesend.,  and  immediately  went 
on  board. 

Fri.  17. — I  began  to  learn  German,  in  order  to  con- 
verse with  the  Germans,  six-and-twenty  of  whom  we  had 
on  board.  On  Sunday,  the  weather  bein^  fair  and  calm, 
we  had  the  morning  service  on  quarter-deck..  I  now 
first  preached  extempore,  and  then  admmistered  the 
Lord's  supper  to  six  or  seven  communicants. 

Mon.  20. — Believing  the  denying  ourselves,  even  in 
the  smallest  instances,  might,  by  the  blessing  of  God, 


4  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1735 

be  helpful  to  us,  we  wholly  left  off  the  use  of  flesh  and 
wine,  and  confined  ourselves  to  vegetable  food — chiefly 
rice  and  biscuit. 

Tues.  21. — We  sailed  from  Gravesend.  When  we 
were  past  about  half  the  Goodwin  Sands,  the  wind 
suddenly  failed.  Had  the  calm  continued  till  ebb,  the 
ship  had  probably  been  lost.  But  the  gale  sprung  up 
again  in  an  hour,  and  carried  us  into  the  Downs. 

We  now  began  to  be  a  little  regular.  Our  common 
way  of  Uving  was  this  :  From  four  in  the  morning  till 
five  each  of  us  used  private  prayer.  From  five  to 
seven  we  read  the  Bible  together,  carefully  comparing  it 
(that  we  might  not  lean  to  our  own  understandings)  with 
the  writings  of  the  earliest  ages.  At  seven  we  break- 
fasted. At  eight  were  the  public  prayers.  From  nine 
to  twelve  I  usually  learned  German,  and  Mr.  Delamotte, 
Greek.  My  brother  writ  sermons,  and  Mr.  Ingham 
instructed  the  children.  At  twelve  we  met  to  give  an 
account  to  one  another  what  we  had  done  since  our 
last  meeting,  and  what  we  designed  to  do  before  our 
next.    About  one  we  dined. 

Life  on  Board 

The  time  from  dinner  to  four  we  spent  in  reading  to 
those  whom  each  of  us  had  taken  in  charge,  or  in 
speaking  to  them  severally,  as  need  required.  At  four 
were  the  evening  prayers ;  when  either  the  second  lesson 
was  explained  (as  it  always  was  in  the  morning),  or  the 
children  were  catechised  and  instructed  before  the 
congregation.  From  five  to  six  we  again  used  private 
prayer.  From  six  to  seven  I  read  in  our  cabin  to  two  or 
three  of  the  passengers  (of  whom  there  were  about 
eighty  English  on  board),  and  each  of  my  brethren  to  a 
few  more  in  theirs. 


J«.  1736   WESLEY  SAILS  FOR  A^:IRICA 

At  seven  I  jocnei  — ±:  fenzj.::^  •-.  z'r  tiz  z 
serrice,  wh£!e  Mr.  Irri;-  -^1=  r-i-r  zf-~- 
def±s  :    z  :  1  ^ 

again        -  :  —    :  r 

nine  ; 
of  tht 


trareliers. 

San.  23. — At  nightlw^i  3— liei  'z-  -.zt  r:??  -  -  ::'  - 
ship  and  nnring  of  the  — >  ;  i 
unfit,  fiM- 1  nas  nnwillicz.      ;  7 

Wed.  Dec  lo. — ^We  ;  -  i 
afternoon  passed  the  Xe^:  -I 
with  the  naTCs  das'-  -  - 
and  the  white  side 
popoidicalar  frcr. 
"  Him  that  spar. 
waters  in  the  -  :'. 

1736-  Tz  - 
Mr.  Ogleth  : 
among  the  r ;  -  t  _ 


6  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  173 

Sat.  17. — Many  people  were  very  impatient  at  the 
contrary  wind.  At  seven  in  the  evening  they  were  quieted 
by  a  storm.  It  rose  higher  and  higher  till  nine.  About 
nine  the  sea  broke  over  us  from  stem  to  stern;  burst 
through  the  windows  of  the  state  cabin,  where  three  or 
four  of  us  were,  and  covered  us  all  over,  though  a  bureau 
sheltered  me  from  the  main  shock.  About  eleven  I  lay 
down  in  the  great  cabin,  and  in  a  short  time  fell  asleep, 
though  very  uncertain  whether  I  should  wake  alive,  and 
much  ashamed  of  my  unwillingness  to  die.  O  how  pure 
in  heart  must  he  be,  who  would  rejoice  to  appear  before 
God  at  a  moment's  warning  !  Toward  morning,  "  He 
rebuked  the  winds  and  the  sea,  and  there  was  a  great 
calm." 

Memorable  Atlantic  Storms 

Fri.  23. — In  the  evening  another  storm  began.  In 
the  morning  it  increased,  so  that  they  were  forced  to  let 
the  ship  drive.  I  could  not  but  say  to  myself,  "  How  is 
it  that  thou  hast  no  faith  ?  "  being  still  unwilling  to  die. 
About  one  in  the  afternoon,  almost  as  soon  as  I  had 
stepped  out  of  the  great  cabin-door,  the  sea  did  not 
break  as  usual,  but  came  with  a  full,  smooth  tide  over 
the  side  of  the  ship.  I  was  vaulted  over  with  water  in 
a  moment,  and  so  stunned  that  I  scarce  expected  to  Uft 
up  my  head  again,  till  the  sea  should  give  up  her  dead. 
But  thanks  be  to  God,  I  received  no  hurt  at  all.  About 
midnight  the  storm  ceased. 

Sun.  25. — At  noon  our  third  storm  began.  At  four 
it  was  more  violent  than  before.  At  seven  I  went  to 
the  Germans.  I  had  long  before  observed  the  great 
seriousness  of  their  behaviour.  Of  their  humility  they 
had  given  a  continual  proof,  by  performing  those  servile 
oflSces  for  the   other  passengers,  which  none  of  the 


Feb.  1736   MEMORABLE  ATLANTIC  STORMS  7 


English  would  undertake ;  for  which  they  desired,  and 
would  receive  no  pay,  saying,  "  it  was  good  for  their 
proud  hearts,"  and  "  their  loving  Saviour  had  done  more 
for  them."  And  every  day  had  given  them  an  occasion 
of  showing  a  meekness,  which  no  injury  could  move. 
If  they  were  pushed,  struck,  or  thrown  down,  they  rose 
again  and  went  away ;  but  no  complaint  was  found  in 
their  mouth.  There  was  now  an  opportunity  of  trying 
whether  they  were  delivered  from  the  spirit  of  fear,  as 
well  as  from  that  of  pride,  anger  and  revenge. 

In  the  midst  of  the  psalm  wherewith  their  service 
began,  the  sea  broke  over,  split  the  mainsail  in  pieces, 
covered  the  ship,  and  poured  in  between  the  decks,  as 
if  the  great  deep  had  already  swallowed  us  up.  A  terrible 
screaming  began  among  the  English.  The  Germans 
calmly  sung  on.  I  asked  one  of  them  afterwards,  Was 
you  not  afraid  ?  "  He  answered,  "  I  thank  God,  no." 
I  asked,  "  But  were  not  your  women  and  children 
afraid?"  He  replied,  mildly,  "No;  our  women  and 
children  are  not  afraid  to  die." 

Fri.  30. — We  had  another  storm,  which  did  us  no 
other  harm  than  splitting  the  fore-sail.  Our  bed  being 
wet,  I  laid  me  down  on  the  floor,  and  slept  sound  till 
morning.  And,  I  believe,  I  shall  not  find  it  needful  to 
go  to  bed  (as  it  is  called)  any  more. 

Sun.  Feb.  i. — We  spoke  with  a  ship  of  CaroUna;  and 
Wednesday,  4,  came  within  soundings.  About  noon, 
the  trees  were  visible  from  the  masts,  and  in  the  after- 
noon from  the  main  deck.  In  the  evening  lesson  were 
these  words  :  "  A  great  door,  and  effectual,  is  opened." 
O  let  no  one  shut  it ! 

Thur.  5. — Between  two  and  three  in  the  afternoon, 
God  brought  us  all  safe  into  the  Savannah  river.  We 
cast  anchor  near  Tybee  Island,  where  the  groves  of  pines, 


8  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Feb.  1736 

running  along  the  shore,  made  an  agreeable  prospect, 
shewing,  as  it  were,  the  bloom  of  spring  in  the  depth  of 
winter. 

"Wesley  Arrives  in  Georgia 

Fri.  6. — About  eight  in  the  morning,  we  first  set  foot 
on  American  ground.  It  was  a  small  uninhabited  island, 
over  against  Tybee.  Mr.  Oglethorpe  led  us  to  a  rising 
ground,  where  we  all  kneeled  down  to  give  thanks.  He 
then  took  boat  for  Savannah.  When  the  rest  of  the 
people  were  come  on  shore,  we  called  our  little  flock 
together  to  prayers. 

Sat.  7. — Mr.  Oglethorpe  returned  from  Savannah  with 
Mr.  Spangenberg,  one  of  the  pastors  of  the  Germans. 
I  soon  found  what  spirit  he  was  of ;  and  asked  his  advice 
with  regard  to  my  own  conduct.  He  said,  "My  brother, 
I  must  first  ask  you  one  or  two  questions.  Have  you 
the  witness  within  yourself?  Does  the  Spirit  of  God 
bear  witness  with  your  spirit,  that  you  are  a  child  of 
God  ?  "  I  was  surprised,  and  knew  not  what  to  answer. 
He  observed  it,  and  asked,  "Do  you  know  Jesus  Christ?" 
I  paused,  and  said,  "  I  know  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the 
world."  "  True,"  replied  he ;  "  but  do  you  know  he 
has  saved  you  ?  "  I  answered,  "  I  hope  he  has  died  to 
save  me."  He  only  added,  "  Do  you  know  yourself?" 
^    I  said,  "  I  do."    But  I  fear  they  were  vain  words. 

Sat.  14. — About  one,  Tomo  Chachi,  his  nephew 
Thleeanouhee,  his  wife  Sinauky,  with  two  more  women, 
and  two  or  three  Indian  children,  came  on  board.  As 
soon  as  we  came  in,  they  all  rose  and  shook  us  by  the 
hand ;  and  Tomo  Chachi  (one  Mr.  Musgrove  interpreted) 
spoke  as  follows : 

"  I  am  glad  you  are  come.  When  I  was  in  England, 
I  desired  that  some  would  speak  the  great  word  to  me 


Mar.  1736    MINISTRY  AT  SAVANNAH 


9 


and  my  nation  then  desired  to  hear  it ;  but  now  we  are 
all  in  confusion.  Yet  I  am  glad  you  are  come.  I  will 
go  up  and  speak  to  the  wise  men  of  our  nation ;  and  I 
hope  they  will  hear.  But  we  would  not  be  made 
Christians  as  the  Spaniards  make  Christians :  we  would 
be  taught,  before  we  are  baptized." 

I  answered,  "  There  is  but  One,  He  that  sitteth  in 
heaven,  who  is  able  to  teach  man  wisdom.  Though  we 
are  come  so  far,  we  know  not  whether  He  will  please  to 
teach  you  by  us  or  no.  If  He  teaches  you,  you  will  learn 
wisdom,  but  we  can  do  nothing."    We  then  withdrew. 

Thur.  19. — My  brother  and  I  took  boat,  and,  passing 
by  Savannah,  went  to  pay  our  first  visit  in  America  to 
the  poor  heathens. 

Begins  his  Ministry  at  Savannah 
Sun.  March  7. — I  entered  upon  my  ministry  at 
Savannah,  by  preaching  on  the  epistle  for  the  day, 
being  the  thirteenth  of  the  first  of  Corinthians.  In  the 
second  lesson  (Luke  xviii.)  was  our  Lord's  prediction  of 
the  treatment  which  he  himself  (and,  consequently,  his 
followers)  was  to  meet  with  from  the  world.  "  Verily  I 
say  unto  you,  There  is  no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or 
friends,  or  brethren,  or  wife,  or  children,  for  the  kingdom 
of  God's  sake,  who  shall  not  receive  manifold  more  in 
this  present  time,  and  in  the  world  to  come  life  ever- 
lasting." 

Yet,  notwithstanding  these  declarations  of  our  Lord — 
notwithstanding  my  own  repeated  experience — notwith- 
standing the  experience  of  all  the  sincere  followers  of 
Christ  whom  I  have  ever  talked  with,  read  or  heard  of ; 
nay,  and  the  reason  of  the  thing  evincing  to  a  demon- 
stration that  all  who  love  not  the  light  must  hate  Him 
who  is  continually  labouring  to  pour  it  in  upon  them  j 


10 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Apr.  1736 


I  do  here  bear  witness  against  myself,  that  when  I  saw 
the  number  of  people  crowding  into  the  church,  the 
deep  attention  with  which  they  received  the  word,  and 
the  seriousness  that  afterwards  sat  on  all  their  faces ;  I 
could  scarce  refrain  from  giving  the  lie  to  experience 
and  reason  and  Scripture  all  together. 

I  could  hardly  believe  that  the  greater,  the  far  greater 
part  of  this  attentive,  serious  people  would  hereafter 
trample  under  foot  that  word,  and  say  all  manner  of 
evil  falsely  of  him  that  spake  it. 

Mon.  15. — Mr.  Quincy  going  for  Carolina,  I  removed 
into  the  minister's  house.  It  is  large  enough  for  a 
larger  family  than  ours,  and  has  many  conveniences, 
besides  a  good  garden. 

Tues.  30. — Mr.  Ingham,  coming  from  Frederica, 
brought  me  letters,  pressing  me  to  go  thither.  The 
next  day  Mr.  Delamotte  and  I  began  to  try,  whether 
life  might  not  as  well  be  sustained  by  one  sort  as  by 
variety  of  food.  We  chose  to  make  the  experiment  with 
bread ;  and  were  never  more  vigorous  and  healthy  than 
while  we  tasted  nothing  else. 

"I  Waked  under  "Water** 
Sun.  April  4. — About  four  in  the  afternoon  I  set  out 
for  Frederica,  in  a  pettiawga — a  sort  of  flat-bottomed 
barge.  The  next  evening  we  anchored  near  Skidoway 
Island,  where  the  water,  at  flood,  was  twelve  or  fourteen 
foot  deep.  I  wrapped  myself  up  from  head  to  foot,  in 
a  large  cloak,  to  keep  off  the  sand  flies,  and  lay  down 
on  the  quarter-deck.  Between  one  and  two  I  waked 
under  water,  being  so  fast  asleep  that  I  did  not  find 
where  I  was  till  my  mouth  was  full  of  it.  Having  left 
my  cloak,  I  know  not  how,  upon  deck,  I  swam  round  to 
the  other  side  of  the  pettiawga,  where  a  boat  was  tied. 


June  1736     "I  WAKED  UNDER  WATER"  11 

and  climbed  up  by  the  rope  without  any  hurt,  more 
than  wetting  my  clothes. 

Sat.  17. — Not  finding,  as  yet,  any  door  open  for  the 
pursuing  our  main  design,  we  considered  in  what  manner 
we  might  be  most  useful  to  the  little  flock  at  Savannah. 
And  we  agreed :  i.  To  advise  the  more  serious  among 
them  to  form  themselves  into  a  sort  of  little  society,  and 
to  meet  once  or  twice  a  week,  in  order  to  reprove, 
instruct,  and  exhort  one  another.  2.  To  select  out  of 
these  a  smaller  number  for  a  more  intimate  union  with 
each  other,  which  might  be  forwarded,  partly  by  our 
conversing  singly  with  each,  and  partly  by  inviting  them 
all  together  to  our  house ;  and  this,  accordingly,  we 
determined  to  do  every  Sunday  in  the  afternoon. 

Mon.  May  10. — I  began  visiting  my  parishioners  in 
order,  from  house  to  house ;  for  which  I  set  apart  (the 
time  when  they  cannot  work,  because  of  the  heat,  viz.) 
from  twelve  till  three  in  the  afternoon. 

Thur.  June  17. — An  officer  of  a  man-of-war,  walking 
just  behind  us,  with  two  or  three  of  his  acquaintance, 
cursed  and  swore  exceedingly ;  but  upon  my  reproving 
him,  seemed  much  moved,  and  gave  me  many  thanks. 

Tues.  22. — Observing  much  coldness  in  M.   's 

behaviour,  I  asked  him  the  reason  of  it.  He  answered, 
"  I  like  nothing  you  do.  All  your  sermons  are  satires 
upon  particular  persons,  therefore  I  will  never  hear  you 
more ;  and  all  the  people  are  of  my  mind,  for  we  won't 
hear  ourselves  abused. 

"  Beside,  they  say,  they  are  Protestants.  But  as  for 
you,  they  cannot  tell  what  religion  you  are  of.  They 
never  heard  of  such  a  religion  before.  They  do  not 
know  what  to  make  of  it.  And  then  your  private 
behaviour :  all  the  quarrels  that  have  been  here  since 
you  came,  have  been  'long  of  you.    Indeed  there  is 


12  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1736 

neither  man  nor  woman  in  the  town,  who  minds  a  word 
you  say.  And  so  you  may  preach  long  enough;  but 
nobody  will  come  to  hear  you." 

He  was  too  warm  for  hearing  an  answer.  So  I  had 
nothing  to  do  but  to  thank  him  for  his  openness,  and 
walk  away. 

Talks  to  the  Indians 
Wed.  30. — I  hoped  a  door  was  opened  for  going 
up  immediately  to  the  Choctaws,  the  least  polished, 
that  is,  the  least  corrupted,  of  all  the  Indian  nations. 
But  upon  my  informing  Mr.  Oglethorpe  of  our  design, 
he  objected,  not  only  the  danger  of  being  intercepted  or 
killed  by  the  French  there;  but  much  more,  the 
inexpediency  of  leaving  Savannah  destitute  of  a  minister. 
These  objections  I  related  to  our  brethren  in  the 
evening,  who  were  all  of  opinion,  "  We  ought  not  to  go 
yet." 

Thur.  July  i. — The  Indians  had  an  audience;  and 
another  on  Saturday,  when  Chicali,  their  head-man, 
dined  with  Mr.  Oglethorpe.  After  dinner,  I  asked  the 
grey-headed  old  man,  what  he  thought  he  was  made  for. 
He  said,  "  He  that  is  above  knows  what  he  made  us  for. 
We  know  nothing.  We  are  in  the  dark.  But  white 
men  know  much.  And  yet  white  men  build  great 
houses,  as  if  they  were  to  live  for  ever.  But  white  men 
cannot  live  for  ever.  In  a  little  time,  white  men  will 
be  dust  as  well  as  I."  I  told  him,  "  If  red  men  will 
learn  the  good  book,  they  may  know  as  much  as  white 
men.  But  neither  we  nor  you  can  understand  that 
book,  unless  we  are  taught  by  Him  that  is  above :  and 
He  will  not  teach,  unless  you  avoid  what  you  already 
know  is  not  good."  He  answered,  "  I  believe  that. 
He  will  not  teach  us  while  our  hearts  are  not  white. 
And  our  men  do  what  they  know  is  not  good :  they  kill 


Aug.  1736         FEARLESS  OF  RAINS 


13 


their  own  children.  And  our  women  do  what  they 
know  is  not  good  :  they  kill  the  child  before  it  is  born. 
Therefore  He  that  is  above  does  not  send  us  the  good 
book." 

Mon.  26. — My  brother  and  I  set  out  for  Charlestown, 
in  order  to  his  embarking  for  England  ;  but  the  wind 
being  contrary,  we  did  not  reach  Port-B.oyal,  forty  miles 
from  Savannah,  till  Wednesday  evening.  The  next 
morning  we  left  it.  But  the  wind  was  so  high  in  the 
afternoon,  as  we  were  crossing  the  neck  of  St.  Helena's 
sound,  that  our  oldest  sailor  cried  out,  "  Now  every 
one  must  take  care  for  himself."  I  told  him,  "  God 
would  take  care  for  us  all."  Almost  as  soon  as  the 
words  were  spoken,  the  mast  fell.  I  kept  on  the  edge 
of  the  boat,  to  be  clear  of  her  when  she  sunk  (which 
we  expected  every  moment),  though  with  little  prospect 
of  swimming  ashore,  against  such  a  wind  and  sea.  But 
"  how  is  it  that  thou  hadst  no  faith  ?  "  The  moment 
the  mast  fell,  two  men  caught  it,  and  pulled  it  into  the 
boatj  the  other  three  rowed  with  all  their  might,  and 
"  God  gave  command  to  the  wind  and  seas  " ;  so  that  in 
an  hour  we  were  safe  on  land. 

Fearless  of  Rains  and  Dews 
Mon.  Aug.  2. — I  set  out  for  the  Lieutenant-Governor's 
seat,  about  thirty  miles  from  Charlestown,  to  deliver  Mr. 
Oglethorpe's  letters.  It  stands  very  pleasantly,  on  a 
little  hill,  with  a  vale  on  either  side,  in  one  of  which  is  a 
thick  wood ;  the  other  is  planted  with  rice  and  Indian 
corn.  I  designed  to  have  gone  back  by  Mr.  Skeen's, 
who  has  about  fifty  Christian  negroes.  But  my  horse 
tiring,  I  was  obliged  to  return  the  straight  way  to  Charles- 
town. 

I  had  sent  the  boat  we  came  in  back  to  Savannah, 


14  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Nov.  1736 

expecting  a  passage  thither  myself  in  Colonel  Bull's.  His 
not  going  so  soon,  I  went  to  Ashley-Ferry  on  Thursday, 
intending  to  walk  to  Port-Royal.  But  Mr.  Belinger  not 
only  provided  me  a  horse,  but  rode  with  me  himself  ten 
miles,  and  sent  ^his  son  with  me  to  Cumbee-Ferry, 
twenty  miles  farther ;  whence,  having  hired  horses  and 
a  guide,  I  came  to  Beaufort  (or  Port  Royal)  the  next 
evening.  We  took  boat  in  the  morning  ;  but,  the  wind 
being  contrary,  and  very  high,  did  not  reach  Savannah 
till  Sunday,  in  the  afternoon. 

Finding  Mr.  Oglethorpe  was  gone,  I  stayed  only  a 
day  at  Savannah;  and  leaving  Mr.  Ligham  and  Dela- 
motte  there,  set  out  on  Tuesday  morning  for  Frederica. 
In  walking  to  Thunderbolt  I  was  in  so  heavy  a  shower, 
that  all  my  clothes  were  as  wet  as  if  I  had  gone  through 
the  river.  On  which  occasion  I  cannot  but  observe 
that  vulgar  error,  concerning  the  hurtfulness  of  the 
rains  and  dews  of  America.  I  have  been  thoroughly 
wet  with  these  rains  more  than  once ;  yet  without  any 
harm  at  all.  And  I  have  lain  many  nights  in  the  open 
air,  and  received  all  the  dews  that  fell;  and  so,  I  be- 
lieve, might  any  one,  if  his  constitution  was  not  im- 
paired by  the  softness  of  a  genteel  education. 

Desires  to  Go  Among  the  Indians 
Tues.  Nov.  23. — Mr.  Oglethorpe  sailed  for  England, 
leaving  Mr.  Ingham,  Mr.  Delamotte,  and  me,  at  Savan- 
nah ;  but  with  less  prospect  of  preaching  to  the  Indians 
than  we  had  the  first  day  we  set  foot  in  America. 
Whenever  I  mentioned  it,  it  was  immediately  replied, 
"  You  cannot  leave  Savannah  without  a  minister." 

To  this  indeed  my  plain  answer  was,  "  I  know  not 
that  I  am  under  any  obligation  to  the  contrary.  I  never 
promised  to  stay  here  one  month.    I  openly  declared 


Dec.  1736  IX  A  SWAMP  15 

both  before,  at,  and  ever  since  my  coming  hither,  that  I 
neither  would  nor  could  take  charge  of  the  English  any 
longer  than  till  I  could  go  among  the  Indians."  If  it 
was  said,  "  But  did  not  the  trustees  of  Georgia  appoint 
you  to  be  minister  of  Savannah  ? "  I  replied,  "  They 
did ;  but  it  was  not  done  by  my  solicitation :  it  was 
done  without  either  my  desire  or  knowledge.  Therefore 
I  cannot  conceive  that  appointment  to  lay  me  under  any 
obligation  of  continuing  there  any  longer  than  till  a  door 
is  opened  to  the  heathens;  and  this  I  expressly  de- 
clared at  the  time  I  consented  to  accept  of  that  appoint- 
ment." 

But  though  I  had  no  other  obUgation  not  to  leave 
Savannah  now,  yet  that  of  love  I  could  not  break 
through :  I  could  not  resist  the  importunate  request  of 
the  more  serious  parishioners,  "  to  watch  over  their 
souls  yet  a  little  longer,  till  some  one  came  who  migh? 
supply  my  place."  And  this  I  the  more  wiUingly  did. 
because  the  time  was  not  come  to  preach  the  Gospel 
of  peace  to  the  heathens;  all  their  nations  being  in  a 
ferment ;  and  Paustoobee  and  Mingo  Mattaw  having 
told  me,  in  terms,  in  my  own  house,  "  Now  om 
enemies  are  aU  about  us,  and  we  can  do  nothing  but 
fight ;  but  if  the  beloved  ones  should  ever  give  us  to  be 
at  peace,  then  we  would  hear  the  great  word." 

Wed.  Dec.  23. — Mr.  Delamotte  and  I,  with  a  guide, 
set  out  to  walk  to  the  Cowpen.  When  we  had  walked 
two  or  three  hours,  our  guide  told  us  plainly,  he  did  not 
know  where  we  were.  However,  believing  it  could  not 
be  far  off,  we  thought  it  best  to  go  on.  In  an  hour  or 
two  we  came  to  a  cypress-swamp,  which  lay  directly 
across  our  way  :  there  was  not  time  to  walk  back  to 
Savannah  before  night;  so  we  walked  through  it,  the 
water  being  about  breast  high. 


16  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1737 

By  the  time  we  had  gone  a  mile  beyond  it,  we  were 
out  of  all  path ;  and  it  being  now  past  sunset,  we  sat 
down,  intending  to  make  a  fire,  and  to  stay  there  till 
morning;  but  finding  our  tinder  wet,  we  were  at  a  stand. 
I  advised  to  walk  on  still ;  but  my  companions,  being 
faint  and  weary,  were  for  lying  down,  which  we  accord- 
ingly did  about  six  o'clock ;  the  ground  was  as  wet  as 
our  clothes,  which,  it  being  a  sharp  frost,  were  soon 
froze  together ;  however,  I  slept  till  six  in  the  morning. 
There  fell  a  heavy  dew  in  the  night,  which  covered  us 
over  as  white  as  snow.  Within  an  hour  after  sunrise, 
we  came  to  a  plantation ;  and  in  the  evening,  without 
any  hurt,  to  Savannah. 

Begins  to  Learn  Spanish 
1737.  Fri.  March  4. — I  writ  the  trustees  for  Georgia 
an  account  of  our  year's  expense,  from  March  i,  1736,  to 
March  i,  1737;  which,  deducting  extraordinary  expenses, 
such  as  repairing  the  parsonage  house,  and  journeys  to 
Frederica,  amounted,  for  Mr.  Delamotte  and  me,  to 
£44  4s.  4d. 

Mon.  April  4. — I  began  learning  Spanish,  in  order  to 
converse  with  my  Jewish  parishioners ;  some  of  whom 
^  seem  nearer  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ  than  many  of 
those  who  call  him  Lord. 

Tues.  12. — Being  determined,  if  possible,  to  put  a 
stop  to  the  proceedings  of  one  in  Carolina,  who  had 
married  several  of  my  parishioners  without  either  banns 
or  licence,  and  declared  he  would  do  so  still,  I  set  out 
in  a  sloop  for  Charlestown.  I  landed  there  on  Thursday, 
and  related  the  case  to  Mr.  Garden,  the  Bishop  of  London's 
Commissary,  who  assured  me,  he  would  take  care  no 
such  irregularity  should  be  committed  for  the  future. 

Sun.  July  3. — Immediately  after  the  holy  communion, 


July  1737         WESLEY  REPROVES  17 

I  mentioned  to  Mrs.  Williamson  (Mr.  Causton's  niece) 
some  things  which  I  thought  reprovable  in  her  behaviour. 
At  this  she  appeared  extremely  angry ;  said  she  did  not 
expect  such  usage  from  me;  and  at  the  turn  of  the 
street,  through  which  we  were  walking  home,  went 
abruptly  away.  The  next  day  Mrs.  Causton  endeavoured 
to  excuse  her;  told  me  she  was  exceedingly  grieved  for 
what  had  passed  the  day  before,  and  desired  me  to  tell 
her  in  writing  what  I  disliked ;  which  I  accordingly  did 
the  day  following. 

But  first  I  sent  Mr.  Causton  the  following  note : 

"Sir, 

"  To  this  hour  you  have  shown  yourself  my  friend  ; 
I  ever  have  and  ever  shall  acknowledge  it.  And  it  is 
my  earnest  desire  that  He  who  hath  hitherto  given  me 
this  blessing,  would  continue  it  still. 

"  But  this  cannot  be,  unless  you  will  allow  me  one 
request,  which  is  not  so  easy  an  one  as  it  appears :  do 
not  condemn  me  for  doing,  in  the  execution  of  my  office, 
what  I  think  it  my  duty  to  do. 

"  If  you  can  prevail  upon  yourself  to  allow  me  this, 
even  when  I  act  without  respect  of  persons,  I  am 
persuaded  there  will  never  be,  at  least  not  long,  any 
misunderstanding  between  us.  For  even  those  who 
seek  it  shall,  I  trust,  find  no  occasion  against  me, 
'  except  it  be  concerning  the  law  of  my  God.' 

"  I  am,  &c. 

"July  5.  1737" 

Wed.  6. — Mr.  Causton  came  to  my  house  with  Mr. 
Bailiff  Parker  and  Mr.  Recorder,  and  warmly  asked, 
"  How  could  you  possibly  think  I  should  condemn  you 
for  executing  any  part  of  your  office  ? "  I  said  short, 
"Sir,  what  if  I  should  think  it  the  duty  of  my  office  to 

li 


18  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1737 

repel  one  of  your  family  from  the  holy  communion  ?  " 
He  replied,  "  If  you  repel  me  or  my  wife,  I  shall  require 
a  legal  reason.  But  I  shall  trouble  myself  about  none 
else.    Let  them  look  to  themselves." 

Warrant  for  Wesley's  Arrest 
Sun.  Aug.  7. — I  repelled  Mrs.  Williamson  from  the 
holy  communion.    And  Monday,  8,  Mr.  Recorder,  of 
Savannah,  issued  out  the  warrant  following : 

"  Georgia.    Savannah  ss. 
"  To  all  Constables,  Tithiiigmen,  and  others,  whom  these 
may  concern  : 

"  You,  and  each  of  you,  are  hereby  required  to  take 
the  body  of  John  Wesley,  Clerk  : 

"  And  bring  him  before  one  of  the  Bailiffs  of  the  said 
town  to  answer  the  complaint  of  William  Williamson  and 
Sophia,  his  wife,  for  defaming  the  said  Sophia,  and  re- 
fusing to  administer  to  her  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
supper  in  a  public  congregation  without  cause;  by 
which  the  said  William  Williamson  is  damaged  one 
thousand  pound  sterling ;  and  for  so  doing,  this  is  your 
warrant,  certifying  what  you  are  to  do  in  the  premises. 
Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  the  8th  day  of  August, 
Anno.  Dom.  1737.  Tho.  Christie." 

Tues.  9. — Mr.  Jones,  the  constable,  served  the 
warrant,  and  carried  me  before  Mr.  Bailiff  Parker  and 
Mr.  Recorder.  My  answer  to  them  was,  that  the  giving 
or  refusing  the  Lord's  supper  being  a  matter  purely 
ecclesiastical,  I  could  not  acknowledge  their  power  to 
interrogate  me  upon  it.  Mr.  Parker  told  me :  "  How- 
ever,  you  must  appear  at  the  next  Court,  holden  for 
Savannah."  Mr.  Williamson,  who  stood  by,  said : 
"  Gentlemen,  I  desire  Mr.  Wesley  may  give  bail  for  his 


Aug.  1737     WARRANT  FOR  ARREST 


19 


appearance."  But  Mr.  Parker  immediately  replied  :  "  Sir, 
Mr.  Wesley's  word  is  sufficient." 

Thur.  II. — Mr.  Causton  came  to  my  house,  and, 
among  many  other  sharp  words,  said  :  "  Make  an  end  of 
this  matter ;  thou  hadst  best.  My  niece  to  be  used 
thus  !  I  have  drawn  the  sword,  and  I  will  never  sheath 
it  till  I  have  satisfaction." 

Soon  after,  he  added :  "  Give  the  reasons  of  your 
repelling  her  before  the  whole  congregation."  I 
answered:  "Sir,  if  you  insist  upon  it,  I  will;  and  so 
you  may  be  pleased  to  tell  her."  He  said,  "  Write  to 
her,  and  tell  her  so  yourself."  I  said,  "I  will";  and 
after  he  went  I  wrote  as  follows  : 

"  To  Mrs.  Sophia  Williamson. 

"  At  Mr.  Causton's  request,  I  write  once  more.  The 
rules  whereby  I  proceed  are  these : 

" '  So  many  as  intend  to  be  partakers  of  the  holy 
communion,  shall  signify  their  names  to  the  curate,  at 
least  some  time  the  day  before.'    This  you  did  not  do. 

" '  And  if  any  of  these  have  done  any  wrong  to  his 
neighbours,  by  word  or  deed,  so  that  the  congregation  be 
thereby  offended,  the  curate  shall  advertise  him  that  in 
any  wise  he  presume  not  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table  until 
he  hath  openly  declared  himself  to  have  truly  repented.' 

"  If  you  offer  yourself  at  the  Lord's  table  on  Sunday, 
I  will  advertise  you  (as  I  have  done  more  than  once) 
wherein  you  have  done  wrong.  And  when  you  have 
openly  declared  yourself  to  have  truly  repented,  I  will 
administer  to  you  the  mysteries  of  God. 

"John  Wesley. 

"  August  II,  1737." 

Mr.  Delamotte  carrying  this,  Mr.  Causton  said,  among 
many  other  warm  sayings  :  "  I  am  the  person  that  am 


20  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1737 

injured.  The  affront  is  offered  to  me;  and  I  will 
espouse  the  cause  of  my  niece.  I  am  ill-used,  and  I 
will  have  satisfaction,  if  it  be  to  be  had  in  the  world." 

Which  way  this  satisfaction  was  to  be  had,  I  did  not 
yet  conceive ;  ljut  on  Friday  and  Saturday  it  began  to 
appear :  Mr.  Causton  declared  to  many  persons  that 
"■  Mr.  Wesley  had  repelled  Sophy  from  the  holy  com- 
munion purely  out  of  revenge,  because  he  had  made 
proposals  of  marriage  to  her  which  she  rejected,  and 
married  Mr.  Williamson." 

The  Jury's  Charge  against  Wesley 
Tues.  16. — Mrs.  Williamson  swore  to  and  signed  an 
affidavit  insinuating  much  more  than  it  asserted  ;  but 
asserting  that  Mr.  Wesley  had  many  times  proposed 
marriage  to  her,  all  which  proposals  she  had  rejected. 
Of  this  I  desired  a  copy.  Mr.  Causton  replied  :  «'  Sir, 
you  may  have  one  from  any  of  the  newspapers  in 
America." 

On  Thursday  and  Friday  was  delivered  out  a  list  of 
twenty-six  men,  who  were  to  meet  as  a  grand  jury  on 
Monday,  the  22  nd.  But  this  list  was  called  in  the 
next  day,  and  twenty-four  names  added  to  it.  Of  this 
grand  jury  (forty-four  of  whom  only  met),  one  was  a 
Frenchman,  who  did  not  understand  English;  one  a 
Papist,  one  a  professed  infidel,  three  Baptists,  sixteen 
or  seventeen  others  Dissenters,  and  several  others  who 
had  personal  quarrels  against  me,  and  had  openly  vowed 
revenge. 

To  this  grand  jury,  on  Monday,  the  22nd,  Mr.  Causton 
gave  a  long  and  earnest  charge,  '<  to  beware  of  spiritual 
tyranny,  and  to  oppose  the  new,  illegal  authority 
which  was  usurped  over  their  consciences."  Then 
Mrs.  Williamson's   affidavit  was   read ;   after  which, 


Aug.  1737       THE  JURY'S  CHARGE 


21 


Mr.  Causton  delivered  to  the  grand  jury  a  paper, 
entitled : 

"  A  list  of  grievances,  presented  by  the  grand  jury  for 
Savannah,  this       day  of  August,  1737." 

This  the  majority  of  the  grand  jury  altered  in  some 
particulars,  and  on  Thursday,  September  i,  delivered  it 
again  to  the  court,  under  the  form  of  two  present- 
ments, containing  ten  bills,  which  were  then  read  to  the 
people. 

Herein  they  asserted,  upon  oath,  "  That  John  Wesley, 
clerk,  had  broken  the  laws  of  the  realm,  contrary  to  the 
peace  of  our  Sovereign  Lord  the  King,  his  crown  and 
dignity. 

"  I.  By  speaking  and  writing  to  Mrs.  Williamson, 
against  her  husband's  consent. 

"  2.  By  repelling  her  from  the  holy  communion. 

"  3.  By  not  declaring  his  adherence  to  the  Church 
England. 

"  4.  By  dividing  the  morning  service  on  Sundays. 

"  5.  By  refusing  to  baptize  Mr.  Parker's  child,  other- 
wise than  by  dipping,  except  the  parents  would  certify  it 
was  weak,  and  not  able  to  bear  it. 

•'6.  By  repelling  William  Cough  from  the  holy 
communion. 

"7.  By  refusing  to  read  the  burial  service  over  the 
body  of  Nathaniel  Polhill. 

"  8.  By  calling  himself  Ordinary  of  Savannah. 

"  9.  By  refusing  to  receive  William  Aglionby  as  a 
godfather,  only  because  he  was  not  a  communicant. 

"  10.  By  refusing  Jacob  Matthews  for  the  same 
reason ;  and  baptizing  an  Indian  trader's  child  with  only 
two  sponsors."  (This,  I  own,  was  >7rong  ;  for  I  ought, 
at  all  hazards,  to  have  refused  baptizing  it  till  he  had 
procured  a  third.) 


22  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1737 

Fri.  Sep.  2. — Was  the  third  court  at  which  I  appeared 
since  my  being  carried  before  Mr.  P.  and  the  Recorder. 

I  now  moved  for  an  immediate  hearing  on  the  first 
bill,  being  the  only  one  of  a  civil  nature ;  but  it  was 
refused.  I  ma'de  the  same  motion  in  the  afternoon, 
but  was  put  off  till  the  next  court-day. 

On  the  next  court-day  I  appeared  again,  as  also  at 
the  two  courts  following,  but  could  not  be  heard,  because 
(the  Judge  said)  Mr.  Williamson  was  gone  out  of  town. 

The  sense  of  the  minority  of  the  grand  jurors  them- 
selves (for  they  were  by  no  means  unanimous)  concerning 
these  presentments  may  appear  from  the  following  paper, 
which  they  transmitted  to  the  trustees  : 

To  the  Honourable  the  Trustees  for  Georgia. 

"  Whereas  two  presentments  have  been  made  :  the 
one  of  August  23,  the  other  of  August  31,  by  the  grand 
jury  for  the  town  and  county  of  Savannah,  in  Georgia, 
against  John  Wesley,  Clerk. 

"  We,  whose  names  are  underwritten,  being  members 
of  the  said  grand  jury,  do  humbly  beg  leave  to  signify 
our  dislike  of  the  said  presentments ;  being,  by  many 
and  divers  circumstances,  thoroughly  persuaded  in  our- 
selves that  the  whole  charge  against  Mr.  Wesley  is  an 
artifice  of  Mr.  Causton's,  designed  rather  to  blacken  the 
character  of  Mr.  Wesley,  than  to  free  the  colony  from 
religious  tyranny,  as  he  was  pleased,  in  his  charge  to  us, 
to  term  it.  But  as  these  circumstances  will  be  too 
tedious  to  trouble  your  Honours  with,  we  shall  only 
beg  leave  to  give  the  reasons  of  our  dissent  from  the 
particular  bills  

Fri.  Oct.  7. — I  consulted  my  friends,  whether  God  did 
not  call  me  to  return  to  England.  The  reason  for  which 
I  left  it  had  now  no  force ;  there  being  no  possibility,  as 


Nov.  1737    WHY  HE  LEFT  GEORGIA 


23 


yet,  of  instructing  the  Indians ;  neither  had  I,  as  yet, 
found  or  heard  of  any  Indians  on  the  continent  of 
America,  who  had  the  least  desire  of  being  instructed. 
And  as  to  Savannah,  having  never  engaged  myself,  either 
by  word  or  letter,  to  stay  there  a  day  longer  than  I 
should  judge  convenient,  nor  ever  taken  charge  of  the 
people  any  otherwise  than  as  in  my  passage  to  the 
heathens,  I  looked  upon  myself  to  be  fully  discharged 
therefrom,  by  the  vacating  of  that  design.  Besides,  there 
was  a  probability  of  doing  more  service  to  that  unhappy 
people  in  England,  than  I  could  do  in  Georgia,  by  repre- 
senting, without  fear  or  favour,  to  the  trustees  the  real 
state  the  colony  was  in.  After  deeply  considering  these 
things,  they  were  unanimous,  "  that  I  ought  to  go ;  but 
not  yet."  So  I  laid  the  thoughts  of  it  aside  for  the 
present ;  being  persuaded,  that  when  the  time  was 
corae,  God  would  "  make  the  way  plain  before  my  face." 

Why  Wesley  Left  Georgia 
Thur.  Nov.  3. — I  appeared  again  at  the  court,  holden 
on  that  day ;  and  again,  at  the  court  held  Tuesday, 
November  22.  On  which  day  Mr.  Causton  desired  to 
speak  with  me.  He  then  read  me  some  affidavits  which 
had  been  made  September  15,  last  past;  in  one  of  which 
it  was  affirmed,  that  I  then  abused  Mr.  Causton  in  his 
own  house,  calling  him  liar,  villain,  and  so  on.  It  was 
now  Ukewise  repeated  before  several  persons,  which 
indeed  I  had  forgot,  that  I  had  been  reprimanded  at  the 
last  court,  for  an  enemy  to,  and  hinderer  of,  the  public 
peace. 

I  again  consulted  my  friends,  who  agreed  with  me, 
that  the  time  we  looked  for  was  now  come.  And  the 
next  morning,  calling  on  Mr.  Causton,  I  told  him,  I 
designed  to  set  out  for  England  immediately.    I  set  up 


24 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  Dec.  1737 


an  advertisement  in  the  Great  Square  to  the  same  effect 
and  quietly  prepared  for  my  journey. 

Fri.  Dec.  2. — I  proposed  to  set  out  for  Carolina 
about  noon,  the  tide  then  serving.  But  about  ten,  the 
magistrates  sent, for  me,  and  told  me,  I  must  not  go  out 
of  the  province ;  for  I  had  not  answered  the  allegations 
laid  against  me.  I  replied,  "  I  have  appeared  at  six  or 
seven  courts  successively,  in  order  to  answer  them.  But 
I  was  not  suffered  so  to  do,  when  I  desired  it  time  after 
time."  Then  they  said,  however,  I  must  not  go,  unless 
I  would  give  security  to  answer  those  allegations  at  their 
court.  I  asked,  "  What  security  ?  "  After  consulting 
together  about  two  hours,  the  Recorder  showed  me  a  kind 
of  bond,  engaging  me,  under  a  penalty  of  fifty  poundi, 
to  appear  at  their  court  when  I  should  be  required.  He 
added,  "  But  Mr.  Williamson  too  has  desired  of  us 
that  you  should  give  bail  to  answer  his  action."  I 
then  told  him  plainly,  "  Sir,  you  use  me  very  ill,  and  so 
you  do  the  trustees.  I  will  give  neither  any  bond,  nor 
any  bail  at  all.  You  know  your  business,  and  I  know 
mine." 

In  the  afternoon,  the  magistrates  published  an  order, 
requiring  all  the  officers  and  sentinels  to  prevent  my 
going  out  of  the  province ;  and  forbidding  any  person 
to  assist  me  so  to  do.  Being  now  only  a  prisoner  at 
large,  in  a  place  where  I  know  by  experience,  every  day 
would  give  fresh  opportunity  to  procure  evidence  of 
words  I  never  said,  and  actions  I  never  did;  I  saw 
clearly  the  hour  was  come  for  leaving  this  place :  and  as 
soon  as  evening  prayers  were  over,  about  eight  o'clock, 
the  tide  then  serving,  I  shook  off  the  dust  of  my  feet, 
and  left  Georgia,  after  having  preached  the  Gospel  there 
(not  as  I  ought,  but  as  I  was  able)  one  year  and  nearly 
nine  months. 


Dec.  1737       LOST  IN  THE  WOODS  25 

Sat.  3. — We  came  to  Purrysburg  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  endeavoured  to  procure  a  guide  to  Port- 
Royal.  But  none  being  to  be  had,  we  set  out  without 
one,  an  hour  before  sunrise.  After  walking  two  or  three 
hours,  we  met  with  an  old  man,  who  led  us  into  a  small 
path,  near  which  was  a  line  of  blazed  trees  (that  is, 
marked  by  cutting  off  part  of  the  bark),  by  following 
which,  he  said,  we  might  easily  come  to  Port-Royal  in 
five  or  six  hours. 

Lost  in  the  Woods 
We  were  four  in  all ;  one  of  whom  intended  to  go  to 
England  with  me;  the  other  two  to  settle  in  Carolina. 
About  eleven  we  came  into  a  large  swamp,  where  we 
wandered  about  till  near  two.  We  then  found  another 
blaze,  and  pursued  it,  till  it  divided  into  two :  one  of 
these  we  followed  through  an  almost  impassable  thicket, 
a  mile  beyond  which  it  ended.  We  made  through  the 
thicket  again,  and  traced  the  other  blaze  till  that  ended 
too.  It  now  grew  toward  sunset ;  so  we  sat  down,  faint 
and  weary,  having  had  no  food  all  day,  except  a  ginger- 
bread cake,  which  I  had  taken  in  my  pocket.  A  third 
of  this  we  had  divided  among  us  at  noon ;  another  third 
we  took  now;  the  rest  we  reserved  for  the  morning;  but 
we  had  met  with  no  water  all  the  day.  Thrusting  a  stick 
into  the  ground,  and  finding  the  end  of  it  moist,  two  of 
our  company  fell  a  digging  with  their  hands,  and,  at 
about  three  feet  depth,  found  water.  We  thanked  God, 
drank,  and  were  refreshed.  The  night  was  sharp  :  how- 
ever, there  was  no  complaining  among  us;  but  after 
having  commended  ourselves  to  God,  we  lay  down 
close  together,  and  (I  at  Itast)  slept  till  near  six  in  the 
morning. 

Sun.  4. — God  renewing  our  strength,  we  arose  neither 


26  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Dec.  1737 

faint  nor  weary,  and  resolved  to  make  one  trial  more,  to 
find  out  a  path  to  Port-Royal.  We  steered  due  east ; 
but  finding  neither  path  nor  blaze,  and  the  woods  grow- 
ing thicker  and  thicker,  we  judged  it  would  be  our  best 
course  to  return>if  we  could,  by  the  way  we  came.  The 
day  before,  in  the  thickest  part  of  the  woods,  I  had  broke 
many  young  trees,  I  knew  not  why,  as  we  walked  along  : 
these  we  found  a  great  help  in  several  places,  where  no 
path  was  to  be  seen  ;  and  between  one  and  two  God 
brought  us  safe  to  Benjamin  Arieu's  house,  the  old  man 
we  left  the  day  before. 

In  the  evening  I  read  French  prayers  to  a  numerous 
family,  a  mile  from  Arieu's ;  one  of  whom  undertook  to 
guide  us  to  Port-Royal.  In  the  morning  we  set  out. 
About  sunset,  we  asked  our  guide,  if  he  knew  where  he 
was;  who  frankly  answered,  "No."  However,  we  pushed 
on  till,  about  seven,  we  came  to  a  plantation ;  and  the 
next  evening,  after  many  difficulties  and  delays,  we  landed 
on  Port-Royal  island. 

Wed.  7. — We  walked  to  Beaufort ;  where  Mr.  Jones, 
the  minister  of  Beaufort,  with  whom  I  lodged  during  my 
short  stay  here,  gave  me  a  Hvely  idea  of  the  old  English 
hospitality.  On  Thursday  Mr.  Delamotte  came;  with 
whom,  on  Friday,  the  9th,  I  took  boat  for  Charles- 
Town.  After  a  slow  passage,  by  reason  of  contrary 
winds,  and  some  conflict  (our  provisions  falling  short) 
with  hunger  as  well  as  cold,  we  came  thither  early  in  the 
morning,  on  Tuesday,  the  13th. 

Farewell  to  America 
Thur.  22. — I  took  my  leave  of  America  (though, 
if  it  please  God,   not  for  ever),   going    on  board 
the  "  Samuel,"  Captain  Percy,  with  a  young  gentle- 
man who  had  been  a  few  months  in  Carolina,  one  of 


Jan.  1738     FAREWELL  TO  AMERICA  27 


ray  parishioners  of  Savannah,  and  a  Frenchman,  late 
of  Purrysburg,  who  was  escaped  thence  with  the  skin 
of  his  teeth. 

Sat.  24. — We  sailed  over  Charles-Town  bar,  and 
about  noon  lost  sight  of  land. 

The  next  day  the  wind  was  fair,  but  high,  as  it  was 
on  Sunday,  25,  when  the  sea  affected  me  more  than 
it  had  done  in  the  sixteen  weeks  of  our  passage  to 
America.  I  was  obliged  to  lie  down  the  greatest  part 
of  the  day,  being  easy  only  in  that  posture. 

Mon.  26.— I  began  instructing  a  Negro  lad  in  the 
principles  of  Christianity.  The  next  day  I  resolved 
to  break  off  living  delicately,  and  return  to  my  old 
simplicity  of  diet ;  and  after  I  did  so,  neither  my  stomach 
nor  my  head  much  complained  of  the  motion  of  the 
ship. 

1738.  Sun.  Jan.  i. — All  in  the  ship,  except  the  captain 
and  steersman,  were  present  both  at  the  morning  and 
evening  service,  and  appeared  as  deeply  attentive  as 
even  the  poor  people  of  Frederica  did,  while  the  word 
of  God  was  new  to  their  ears.  And  it  may  be,  one 
or  two  among  these  hkewise  may  "  bring  forth  fruit  with 
patience." 

Mon.  2. — Being  sorrowful  and  very  heavy  (though  I 
could  give  no  particular  reason  for  it),  and  utterly 
unwilling  to  speak  close  to  any  of  my  little  flock  (about 
twenty  persons),  I  was  in  doubt  whether  my  neglect  of 
them  was  not  one  cause  of  my  own  heaviness.  In  the 
evening,  therefore,  I  began  instructing  the  cabin-boy; 
after  which  I  was  much  easier. 

I  went  several  times  the  following  days,  with  a  design 
to  speak  to  the  sailors,  but  could  not.  I  mean,  I  was 
quite  averse  from  speaking ;  I  could  not  see  how  to 
make  an  occasion,  and  it  seemed  quite  absurd  to  speak 


28  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  1738 

without.  Is  not  this  what  men  commonly  mean  by,  "  I 
could  not  speak?"  And  is  this  a  sufficient  cause  of 
silence,  or  no?  Is  it  a  prohibition  from  the  good 
spirit  ?  or  a  temptation  from  nature,  or  the  evil  one  ? 

Sat.  7. — I  began  to  read  and  explain  some  passages  ot 
the  Bible  to  the  young  Negro.  The  next  morning, 
another  Negro  who  was  on  board  desired  to  be  a  hearer 
too.  From  them  I  went  to  the  poor  Frenchman,  who, 
understanding  no  English,  had  none  else  in  the  ship 
with  whom  he  could  converse.  And  from  this  time,  I 
read  and  explained  to  him  a  chapter  in  the  Testament 
every  morning. 

The  Voyage  to  England 
Fri.  13. — We  had  a  thorough  storm,  which  obliged  us 
to  shut  all  close ;  the  sea  breaking  over  the  ship  con- 
tinually. I  was  at  first  afraid;  but  cried  to  God,  and 
was  strengthened.  Before  ten,  I  lay  down :  I  bless 
God,  without  fear.  About  midnight  we  were  awaked 
by  a  confused  noise  of  seas  and  wind  and  men's  voices, 
the  like  to  which  I  had  never  heard  before.  The  sound 
of  the  sea  breaking  over  and  against  the  sides  of  the 
ship,  I  could  compare  to  nothing  but  large  cannon,  or 
American  thunder.  The  rebounding,  starting,  quivering 
motion  of  the  ship  much  resembled  what  is  said  of 
earthquakes. 

The  captain  was  upon  deck  in  an  instant.  But  his 
men  could  not  hear  what  he  said.  It  blew  a  proper 
hurricane;  which  beginning  at  south-west,  then  went 
west,  north-west,  north,  and,  in  a  quarter  an  hour,  round 
by  the  east  to  the  south-west  point  again.  At  the  same 
time  the  sea  running,  as  they  term  it,  mountain-high, 
and  that  from  many  different  points  at  once,  the  ship 
would  not  obey  the  helm ;  nor  indeed  could  the  steers- 


Jan.  1738    THE  N'OVAGE  TO  ENGLAND  29 

man,  through  the  violent  rain,  see  the  compass.  So  he 
was  forced  to  let  her  run  before  the  wind,  and  in  half  an 
hour  the  stress  of  the  storm  was  over. 

Tues.  24. — We  spoke  with  two  ships,  outward-bound, 
from  whom  we  had  the  welcome  news  of  our  wanting 
but  one  hundred  and  sixty  leagues  ot  the  Land's-end. 
My  mind  was  now  full  of  thought ;  part  of  which  I  writ 
down  as  follows  : 

"  I  went  to  America,  to  convert  the  Indians ;  but  O  ! 
who  shall  convert  me  ?  who,  what  is  he  that  will  deliver 
me  from  this  evil  heart  of  mischief?  I  have  a  fair 
summer  religion.  I  can  talk  well;  nay,  and  believe 
myself,  while  no  danger  is  near ;  but  let  death  look  me 
in  the  face,  and  my  spirit  is  troubled.  Nor  can  I  say, 
*  To  die  is  gain  ! ' 

*  1  have  a  sin  of  fear,  that  when  I've  spun 
My  last  thread,  I  shall  perish  on  the  shore  !  * 

"  I  think,  verily,  if  the  Gospel  be  true,  I  am  safe :  for 
I  not  only  have  given,  and  do  give,  all  my  goods  to  feed 
the  poor;  I  not  only  give  my  body  to  be  burned, 
drowned,  or  whatever  God  shall  appoint  for  me;  but 
I  follow  after  charity  (though  not  as  I  ought,  yet  as  I 
can),  if  haply  I  may  attain  it.  I  now  believe  the  Gospel 
is  true.  '  I  show  my  faith  by  my  works,'  by  staking  my 
all  upon  it.  I  would  do  so  again  and  again  a  thousand 
times,  if  the  choice  were  still  to  make. 

"Whoever  sees  me,  sees  I  would  be  a  Christian. 
Therefore  '  are  my  ways  not  like  other  men's  ways.' 
Therefore  I  have  been,  I  am,  I  am  content  to  be,  'a 
by-word,  a  proverb  of  reproach.*  But  in  a  storm  I 
think,  'What,  if  the  Gospel  be  not  true?  Then  thou 
art  of  all  men  most  foolish.  For  what  hast  thou  given 
thy  goods,  thy  ease,  thy  friends,  thy  reputation,  thy 
country,  thy  life  ?    For  what  art  thou  wandering  over 


30  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  1738 

the  face  of  the  earth  ? — A  dream  !  a  cunningly-devised 
fable ! ' 

"  O  !  who  will  deliver  me  from  this  fear  of  death  ? 
AVhat  shall  I  do  ?  Where  shall  I  fly  from  it  ?  Should 
I  fight  against  it  by  thinking,  or  by  not  thinking  of  it  ? 
A  wise  man  advised  me  some  time  since,  '  Be  still  and 
go  on.'  Perhaps  this  is  best,  to  look  upon  it  as  my 
cross ;  when  it  comes,  to  let  it  humble  me,  and  quicken 
all  my  good  resolutions,  especially  that  of  praying  with- 
out ceasing;  and  at  other  times,  to  take  no  thought 
about  it,  but  quietly  to  go  on  *in  the  work  of  the 
Lord.'" 

Lands  at  Deal 

We  went  on  with  a  small,  fair  wind,  till  Thursday  in 
the  afternoon ;  and  then  sounding,  found  a  whitish  sand 
at  seventy-five  fathom  :  but  having  had  no  observation 
for  several  days,  the  captain  began  to  be  uneasy,  fearing 
we  might  either  get  unawares  into  the  Bristol  Channel, 
or  strike  in  the  night  on  the  rocks  of  Scilly. 

Sat.  28. — Was  another  cloudy  day;  but  about  ten  in 
the  morning,  the  wind  continuing  southerly,  the  clouds 
began  to  fly  just  contrary  to  the  wind,  and,  to  the  sur- 
prise of  us  all,  sunk  down  under  the  sun,  so  that  at 
noon  we  had  an  exact  observation ;  and  by  this  we 
found  we  were  as  well  as  we  could  desire,  about  eleven 
leagues  south  of  Scilly. 

Sun.  29. — We  saw  English  land  once  more;  which, 
about  noon,  appeared  to  be  the  Lizard-Point.  We  ran 
by  it  with  a  fair  wind ;  and  at  noon,  the  next  day,  made 
the  west  end  of  the  Isle  of  Wight. 

Here  the  wind  turned  against  us,  and  in  the  evening 
blew  fresh,  so  that  we  expected  (the  tide  being  likewise 
strong  against  us)  to  be  driven  some  leagues  backward 


Fkb.  1738         IN  LONDON  AGAIN 


81 


in  the  night :  but  in  the  morning,  to  our  great  surprise, 
we  saw  Beachy-Head  just  before  us,  and  found  we  had 
gone  forwards  near  forty  miles. 

Toward  evening  was  a  calm ;  but  in  the  night  a  strong 
north  wind  brought  us  safe  into  the  Downs.  The  day 
before,  Mr.  Whitefield  had  sailed  out,  neither  of  us  then 
knowing  anything  of  the  other.  At  four  in  the  morning 
we  took  boat,  and  in  half  an  Jjour  landed  at  Deal :  it 
being  Wednesday,  February  i,  the  anniversary  festival 
in  Georgia  for  Mr.  Oglethorpe's  landing  there. 

It  is  now  two  years  and  almost  four  months  since  I 
left  my  native  country,  and  in  order  to  teach  the  Georgian 
Indians  the  nature  of  Christianity :  but  what  have  I 
learned  myself  in  the  mean  time?  Why  (what  I  the 
least  of  all  suspected),  that  I  who  went  to  America  to 
convert  others,  was  never  myself  ^converted  to  God.* 
"I  am  not  mad,"  though  I  thus  speak;  but  "I  speak 
the  words  of  truth  and  soberness  " ;  if  haply  some  of 
those  who  still  dream  may  awake,  and  see,  that  as  I  am, 
so  are  they. 

In  London  Again 

Wednesday,  Feb.  i — After  reading  prayers  and  ex- 
plaining a  portion  of  Scripture  to  a  large  company  at  the 
inn,  I  left  Deal,  and  came  in  the  evening  to  Feversham. 

I  here  read  prayers,  and  explained  the  second  lesson 
to  a  few  of  those  who  were  called  Christians,  but  were 
indeed  more  savage  in  their  behaviour  than  the  wildest 
Indians  I  have  yet  met  with. 

Fri.  3. — I  came  to  Mr.  Delamotte's,  at  Blendon, 
where  I  expected  a  cold  reception.  But  God  had  pre- 
pared the  way  before  me;  and  I  no  sooner  mentioned 
•  I  am  not  sure  of  this. 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  Feb.  1738 


my  name,  than  I  was  welcomed  in  such  a  manner  as 
constrained  me  to  say  :  "  Sinely  God  is  in  this  place,  and 
I  knew  it  not !  Blessed  be  ye  of  the  Lord!  Ye  have 
shown  more  kindness  in  the  latter  end  than  in  the 
beginning." 

In  the  evening  !  came  once  more  to  London,  whence 
I  had  been  absent  two  years  and  near  four  months. 

Many  reasons  I  have  to  bless  God,  though  the  design 
I  went  upon  did  not  take  effect,  for  my  having  been 
carried  into  that  strange  land,  contrary  to  all  my  pre- 
ceding resolutions.  Hereby  I  trust  He  hath  in  some 
measure  "humbled  me  and  proved  me,  and  shown  me 
what  was  in  my  heart."  Hereby  I  have  been  taught  to 
"  beware  of  men."  Hereby  lam  come  to  know  assuredly 
that  if  "  in  all  our  ways  we  acknowledge  God,  he  will," 
where  reason  fails,  "  direct  our  path  "  by  lot,  or  by  the 
other  means  which  he  knoweth.  Hereby  I  am  delivered 
from  the  fear  of  the  sea,  which  I  had  both  dreaded  and 
abhorred  from  my  youth. 

Hereby  God  has  given  me  to  know  many  of  his 
servants  ;  particularly  those  of  the  Church  of  Hernhuth. 
Hereby  my  passage  is  opened  to  the  writings  of  holy 
men  in  the  German,  Spanish,  and  Italian  tongues.  I 
hope,  too,  some  good  may  come  to  others  hereby.  All  in 
Georgia  have  heard  the  word  of  God.  Some  have 
believed,  and  began  to  run  well.  A  few  steps  have  been 
taken  towards  publishing  the  glad  tidings  both  to  the 
African  and  American  heathens.  Many  children  have 
learned  "how  they  ought  to  serve  God,"  and  to  be  useful 
to  their  neighbour.  And  those  whom  it  most  concerns 
have  an  opportunity  of  knowing  the  true  state  of  their 
infant  colony,  and  laying  a  firmer  foundation  of  peace 
and  happiness  to  many  generations. 

Sat.  4. — I  told  my  friends  some  of  the  reasons  which 


Feb.  1738       MEETS  PETER  BOHLER  33 

a  little  hastened  my  return  to  England.  They  all  agreed 
it  would  be  proper  to  relate  them  to  the  trustees  of 
Georgia. 

Accordingly,  the  next  morning  I  waited  on  Mr.  Ogle- 
thorpe, but  had  not  time  to  speak  on  that  head.  In  the 
afternoon  I  was  desired  to  preach  at  St.  John  the 
Evangelist's.  I  did  so  on  those  strong  words,  "  If  any 
man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature."  I  was  after- 
wards informed  many  of  the  best  in  the  parish  were  so 
offended,  that  I  was  not  to  preach  there  any  more. 

Mon.  6. — I  visited  many  of  my  old  friends,  as  well  as 
most  of  my  relations.  I  find  the  time  is  not  yet  come 
when  I  am  to  be  "  hated  of  all  men."  O  may  I  be 
prepared  for  that  day  ! 

Wesley  Meets  Peter  Bohler 
Tues.  7. — (A  day  much  to  be  remembered.)  At  the 
house  of  Mr.  Weinantz,  a  Dutch  merchant,  I  met  Peter 
Bohler,  Schulius  Richter,  and  Wensel  Neiser,  just  then 
landed  from  Germany.  Finding  they  had  no  acquaint- 
ance in  England,  I  offered  to  procure  them  a  lodging, 
and  did  so  near  Mr.  Mutton's,  where  I  then  was.  And 
from  this  time  I  did  not  willingly  lose  any  opportunity 
of  conversing  with  them  while  I  stayed  in  London. 

Wed.  8. — I  went  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe  again,  but  had  no 
opportunity  of  speaking  as  I  designed.  Afterwards  I 
waited  on  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  gave  them  a  short 
but  plain  account  of  the  state  of  the  colony  :  an  account, 
I  fear,  not  a  Httle  differing  from  those  which  they  had 
fre(}uently  received  before,  and  for  which  I  have  reason  to 
believe  some  of  them  have  not  forgiven  me  to  this  day. 

Sun.  12. — I  preached  at  St.  Andrew's,  Holborn,  on: 
"  Though  I  give  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and 
though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not 

c 


^4  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Feb.  1738 

charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing."  O  hard  sayings  !  Who 
can  hear  them  ?  Here  too,  it  seems,  I  am  to  preach  no 
more. 

Fri.  17. — I  set  out  for  Oxford  with  Peter  Bohler, 
where  we  were  kindly  received  by  Mr.  Sarney,  the  only 
one  now  remaining  here  of  many  who,  at  our  embarking 
for  America,  were  used  to  "  take  sweet  counsel  together," 
and  rejoice  in  "  bearing  the  reproach  of  Christ." 

Sat.  18. — We  went  to  Stanton-Harcourt.  The  next 
day  I  preached  once  more  at  the  castle,  in  Oxford,  to  a 
numerous  and  serious  congregation. 

All  this  time  I  conversed  much  with  Peter  Bohler, 
but  I  understood  him  not ;  and  least  of  all  when  he 
said,  "  My  brother,  my  brother,  that  philosophy  of  yours 
must  be  purged  away." 

Mon.  20. — I  returned  to  London.  On  Tuesday  I 
preached  at  Great  St.  Helen's,  on  :  "  If  any  man  will 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his 
cross  daily,  and  follow  me." 

Sun.  26. — I  preached  at  six,  at  St.  Lawrence's;  at 
ten,  in  St.  Catherine  Cree's  church ;  and  in  the  afternoon, 
at  St.  John's,  Wapping.  I  believe  it  pleased  God  to 
bless  the  first  sermon  most,  because  it  gave  most  offence  ; 
being,  indeed,  an  open  defiance  of  that  mystery  of  iniquity 
which  the  world  calls  "  prudence,"  grounded  on  those 
words  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  As  many  as  desire 
to  make  a  fair  show  in  the  flesh,  they  constrain  you  to 
oe  circumcised  ;  only  lest  they  should  suffer  persecution 
for  the  cross  of  Christ." 

Mon.  27. — I  took  coach  for  Salisbury,  and  had  several 
opportunities  of  conversing  seriously  with  my  fellow 
travellers. 

Tues.  28. — I  saw  my  mother  once  more.  The  next 
day  I  prepared  for  my  journey  to  my  brother  at  Tiverton. 


PETER  BOHLER 
John  Wesley  regarded  Bohler  as 
instrument  of  his  conversion 


Feb.  1738 


FOUR  RESOLUTIONS 


35 


But  on  Thursday  morning,  March  2,  a  message  that  my 
brother  Charles  was  dying  at  Oxford,  obliged  me  to  set 
out  for  that  place  immediately.  Calling  at  an  odd  house 
in  the  afternoon,  I  found  several  persons  there  who 
seemed  well-wishers  to  religion,  to  whom  I  spake  plainly  ; 
as  I  did  in  the  evening  both  to  the  servants  and  strangers 
at  my  inn. 

"Wesley's  Four  Resolutions 
With  regard  to  my  own  behaviour,  I  now  renewed  and 
wrote  down  my  former  resolutions. 

1.  To  use  absolute  openness  and  unreserve  with  all  I 
should  converse  with. 

2.  To  labour  after  continual  seriousness,  not  willingly 
indulging  myself  in  any  the  least  levity  of  behaviour,  or 
in  laughter;  no,  not  for  a  moment. 

3.  'To  speak  no  word  which  does  not  tend  to  the 
glory  of  God;  in  particular,  not  to  talk  of  worldly 
things.  Others  may,  nay,  must.  But  what  is  that  to 
thee  ?  And, 

4.  To  take  no  pleasure  which  does  not  tend  to  th 
glory  of  God ;  thanking  God  every  moment  for  all  I  do 
take,  and  therefore  rejecting  every  sort  and  degree  of  it, 
which  I  feel  I  cannot  so  thank  him  in  and  for. 

Sat.  March  4. — I  found  my  brother  at  Oxford,  re- 
covering from  his  pleurisy;  and  with  him  Peter  Bohler; 
by  whom,  in  the  hand  of  the  great  God,  I  was,  on 
Sunday,  the  5th,  clearly  convinced  of  unbelief,  of  the 
want  of  that  faith  whereby  alone  we  are  saved. 

Immediately  it  struck  into  my  mind,  "Leave  oft 
preaching.  How  can  you  preach  to  others,  who  have 
not  faith  yourself?  "  I  asked  Bohler  whether  he  thought 
I  should  leave  it  off  or  not.  He  answered,  "By  no 
means."    I  asked,  "But  what  can  I  preach?"  He 


S6  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Mar.  1738 

said,  "  Preach  faith  till  you  have  it ;  and  then,  because 
you  have  it,  you  will  preach  faith." 

Accordingly,  Monday,  6,  I  began  preaching  this  new 
doctrine,  though  my  soul  started  back  from  the  work. 
The  first  person  ^  to  whom  I  offered  salvation  by  faith 
alone,  was  a  prisoner  under  sentence  of  death.  His 
name  was  Clifford.  Peter  Bohler  had  many  times 
desired  me  to  speak  to  him  before.  But  I  could  not 
prevail  on  myself  so  to  do ;  being  still,  as  I  had  been 
many  years,  a  zealous  asserter  of  the  impossibility  of  a 
death-bed  repentance. 

Incidents  on  the  Manchester  Road 

Tues.  14. — I  set  out  for  Manchester  with  Mr.  Kinchin, 
Fellow  of  Corpus  Christi,  and  Mr.  Fox,  late  a  prisoner 
in  the  city  prison. 

About  eight,  it  being  rainy  and  very  dark,  we  lost  our 
way;  but  before  nine,  came  to  Shipston,  having  rode 
over,  I  know  not  how,  a  narrow  foot-bridge,  which  lay 
across  a  deep  ditch  near  the  town.  After  supper  I  read 
prayers  to  the  people  of  the  inn,  and  explained  the 
second  lesson ;  I  hope  not  in  vain. 

The  next  day  we  dined  at  Birmingham ;  and,  soon 
after  we  left  it,  were  reproved  for  our  negligence  there, 
in  letting  those  who  attended  us  go,  without  either 
exhortation  or  instruction,  by  a  severe  shower  of  hail. 

In  the  evening  we  came  to  Stafford.  The  mistress  of 
the  house  joined  with  us  in  family  prayer.  The  next 
morning  one  of  the  servants  appeared  deeply  affected, 
as  did  the  ostler,  before  we  went.  Soon  after  breakfast, 
stepping  into  the  stable,  I  spake  a  few  words  to  those 
who  were  there.  A  stranger  who  heard  me  said,  "  Sir, 
I  wish  I  was  to  travel  with  you  " ;  and  when  I  went  into 
the  house,  followed  me,  and  began  abruptly,  "  Sir,  I 


Mar.  1738 


ON  THE  ROAD 


37 


believe  you  are  a  good  man,  and  I  come  to  tell  you  a 
little  of  my  life."  The  tears  stood  in  his  eyes  all  the 
time  he  spoke;  and  we  hoped  not  a  word  which  was 
said  to  him  was  lost. 

At  Newcastle,  whither  we  came  about  ten,  some  to 
whom  we  spoke  at  our  inn  were  very  attentive ;  but  a 
gay  young  woman  waited  on  us,  quite  unconcerned : 
however,  we  spoke  on.  ^Vhen  we  went  away,  she  fixed 
her  eyes  and  neither  moved  nor  said  one  word,  but 
appeared  as  much  astonished  as  if  she  had  seen  one 
risen  from  the  dead. 

Coming  to  Hohus-Chapel  about  three,  we  were  sur- 
prised at  being  shown  into  a  room  where  a  cloth  and 
plates  were  laid.  Soon  after  two  men  came  in  to  dinner, 
Mr.  Kinchin  told  them,  if  they  pleased,  that  gentleman 
would  ask  a  blessing  for  them.  They  stared  and,  as  it 
were,  consented ;  but  sat  still  while  I  did  it,  one  of  them 
with  his  hat  on.  We  began  to  speak  on  turning  to  God, 
and  went  on,  though  they  appeared  utterly  regardless. 
After  a  while  their  countenances  changed,  and  one  of 
them  stole  off  his  hat,  and  laying  it  down  behind  him, 
said,  all  we  said  was  true ;  but  he  had  been  a  grievous 
sinner,  and  not  considered  it  as  he  ought ;  but  he  was 
resolved,  with  God's  help,  now  to  turn  to  him  in  earnest. 
We  exhorted  him  and  his  companion,  who  now  likewise 
drank  in  every  word,  to  cry  mightily  to  God,  that  he 
would  "  send  them  help  from  his  holy  place." 

Late  at  night  we  reached  Manchester. 

Companions  on  Horseback 
Fri.  17. — Early  in  the  morning  we  left  Manchester, 
taking  with  us  Mr.  Kinchin's  brother,  for  whom  we  came, 
to  be  entered  at  Oxford.     We  were  fully  determined 
to  lose   no  opportunity  of  awakening,  instructing,  or 


38  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Mar.  1738 

exhorting,  any  whom  we  might  meet  within  our  journey. 
At  Knutsford,  where  we  first  stopped,  all  we  spake  to 
thankfully  received  the  word  of  exhortation.  But  at 
Talk-on-the-hill,  where  we  dined,  she  with  whom  we 
were  was  so  mu^ch  of  a  gentlewoman,  that  for  near  an 
hour  our  labour  seemed  to  be  in  vain.  However,  we 
spoke  on.  Upon  a  sudden,  she  looked  as  one  just 
awaked  out  of  a  sleep.  Every  word  sunk  into  her 
heart.  Nor  have  I  seen  so  entire  a  change  both  in  the 
eyes,  face,  and  manner  of  speaking,  of  any  one  in  so 
short  a  time. 

About  five,  Mr.  Kinchin  riding  by  a  man  and  woman 
double-horsed,  the  man  said,  "  Sir,  you  ought  to  thank 
God  it  is  a  fair  day ;  for  if  it  rained,  you  would  be  sadly 
dirty  with  your  little  horse.'  Mr.  Kinchin  answered, 
"  True :  and  we  ought  to  thank  God  for  our  life,  and 
health,  and  food,  and  raiment,  and  all  things."  He  then 
rode  on,  Mr.  Fox  following,  the  man  said,  "  Sir,  my 
mistress  would  be  glad  to  have  some  more  talk  with 
that  gentleman."  We  stayed,  and  when  they  came  up, 
began  to  search  one  another's  hearts.  They  came  to  us 
again  in  the  evening,  at  our  inn  at  Stone,  where  I  ex- 
plained both  to  them  and  many  of  their  acquaintance 
who  were  come  together,  that  great  truth — godliness 
hath  the  promise  both  of  this  life  and  of  that  which  is 
to  come. 

Tues.  2 1 . — Between  nine  and  ten  we  came  to  Hedge- 
ford.  In  the  afternoon  one  overtook  us,  whom  we  soon 
found  more  inclined  to  speak  than  to  hear.  However, 
we  spoke,  and  spared  not.  In  the  evening  we  overtook 
a  young  man,  a  Quaker,  who  afterwards  came  to  us,  to 
our  inn  at  Henley,  whither  he  sent  for  the  rest  of  his 
family,  to  join  with  us  in  prayer ;  to  which  I  added,  as 
()sual,  the  exposition  of  the  second  lesson.    Our  other 


Mar.  1738      PREACHES  IN  OXFORD  39 


companion  went  with  us  a  mile  or  two  in  the  morning ; 
and  then  not  only  spoke  less  than  the  day  before,  but 
took  in  good  part  a  serious  caution  against  talkativeness 
and  vanity. 

An  hour  after  we  were  overtook  by  an  elderly  gentle- 
man, who  said  he  was  going  to  enter  his  son  at  Oxford. 
We  asked,  "  At  what  college  ? "  He  said  he  did  not 
know;  having  no  acquaintance  there  on  whose  recom- 
mendation he  could  depend.  After  some  conversation, 
he  expressed  a  deep  sense  of  the  good  providence  of 
God ;  and  told  us  he  knew  God  had  cast  us  in  his  way, 
in  answer  to  his  prayer.  In  the  evening  we  reached 
Oxford,  rejoicing  in  our  having  received  so  many  fresh 
instances  of  that  great  truth,  "  In  all  thy  ways  acknow- 
ledge Him,  and  He  shall  direct  thy  paths." 

Preaches  in  Oxford  Castle 
Thur.  23. — I  met  Peter  Bohler  again,  who  now 
amazed  me  more  and  more,  by  the  account  he  gave 
of  the  fruits  of  living  faith— the  holiness  and  happiness 
which  he  affirmed  to  attend  it.  The  next  morning  I 
began  the  Greek  Testament  again,  resolving  to  abide  by 
"  the  law  and  the  testimony  " ;  and  being  confident  that 
God  would  hereby  show  me  whether  this  doctrine  was  of 
God. 

Mon.  27. — Mr.  Kinchin  went  with  me  to  the  castle, 
where,  after  reading  prayers,  and  preaching  on,  "It  is 
appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,"  we  prayed  with  the 
condemned  man,  first  in  several  forms  of  prayer,  and 
then  in  such  words  as  were  given  us  in  that  hour.  He 
kneeled  down  in  much  heaviness  and  confusion,  having 
"no  rest  in"  his  "bones,  by  reason  of"  his  "sins." 
After  a  space  he  rose  up,  and  eagerly  said,  "  I  am  now 
ready  to  die.    I  know  Christ  has  taken  away  my  sins ; 


40  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  1738 

and  there  is  no  more  condemnation  for  me."  The  same 
composed  cheerfulness  he  showed  when  he  was  carried 
to  execution ;  and  in  his  last  moments  he  was  the  same, 
enjoying  a  perfect  peace,  in  confidence  that  he  was 
"  accepted  in  the  Beloved." 

Sun.  April  2.— Being  Easter-day,  I  preached  in  our 
college  chapel,  on,  "  The  hour  cometh,  and  now  is, 
when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  I  preached  in  the  after- 
noon, first  at  the  castle,  and  then  at  Carfax,  on  the  same 
words.    I  see  the  promise  ;  but  it  is  afar  off. 

Believing  it  would  be  better  for  me  to  wait  for  the 
accomplishment  of  it  in  silence  and  retirement,  on 
Monday  3,  I  complied  with  Mr.  Kinchin's  desire,  and 
went  to  him  at  Dummer,  in  Hampshire.  But  I  was 
not  suffered  to  stay  here  long;  being  earnestly  pressed 
to  come  up  to  London,  if  it  were  only  for  a  few  days. 
Thither,  therefore,  I  returned,  on  Tuesday,  18th. 

Talks  with  Bohler 
I  asked  P.  Bohler  again,  whether  I  ought  not  to 
refrain  from  teaching  others.  He  said,  "  No ;  do  not 
hide  in  the  earth  the  talent  God  hath  given  you." 
Accordingly,  on  Tuesday  25,  I  spoke  clearly  and  fully 
at  Blendon  to  Mr.  Delamotte's  family,  of  the  nature  and 
fruits  of  faith.  Mr.  Broughton  and  my  brother  were 
there.  Mr.  Broughton's  great  objection  was,  he  could 
never  think  that  I  had  not  faith,  who  had  done  and 
suffered  such  things.  My  brother  was  very  angry,  and 
told  me,  I  did  not  know  what  mischief  I  had  done  by 
talking  thus.  And,  indeed,  it  did  please  God  then 
to  kindle  a  fire,  which  I  trust  shall  never  be  ex- 
tinguished. 

On  Wednesday  26,  the  day  fixed  for  my  return  to 


May  1738       TALKS  WITH  BOHLER  41 

Oxford,  I  once  more  waited  on  the  trustees  for  Georgia; 
but,  being  straitened  for  time,  was  obliged  to  leave  the 
papers  for  them,  which  I  had  designed  to  give  into  their 
own  hands.  One  of  these  was  the  instrument  whereby 
they  had  appointed  me  minister  of  Savannah  ;  which, 
having  no  more  place  in  those  parts,  I  thought  it  not 
right  to  keep  any  longer. 

P.  Bohler  walked  with  me  a  few  miles,  and  exhorted 
me  not  to  stop  short  of  the  grace  of  God.  At  Gerard's 
Cross  I  plainly  declared  to  those  whom  God  gave  into 
my  hands,  the  faith  as  it  is  in  Jesus :  as  I  did  next  day 
to  a  young  man  I  overtook  on  the  road,  and  in  the 
evening  to  our  friends  at  Oxford.  A  strange  doctrine, 
which  some,  who  did  not  care  to  contradict,  yet  knew 
not  what  to  make  of ;  but  one  or  two,  who  were 
thoroughly  bruised  by  sin,  willingly  heard,  and  received 
it  gladly. 

In  the  day  or  two  following,  I  was  much  confirmed 
in  the  "  truth  that  is  after  godliness,"  by  hearing  the 
experiences  of  Mr.  Hutchins,  of  Pembroke  College, 
and  Mrs.  Fox :  two  living  witnesses  that  God  can  (at 
least,  if  he  does  not  always)  give  that  faith  whereof 
Cometh  salvation  in  a  moment,  as  lightning  falling  from 
heaven. 

Mon.  May  i. — The  return  of  my  brother's  illness 
obliged  me  again  to  hasten  to  I-ondon.  In  the  evening 
I  found  him  at  James  Hutton's,  better  as  to  his  health 
than  I  expected ;  but  strongly  averse  from  what  he 
called  "the  new  faith." 

This  evening  our  httle  society  began,  which  afterwards 
met  in  Fetter-lane. 

Wed.  3 — My  brother  had  a  long  and  particular  con- 
versation with  Peter  Bohler.  And  it  now  pleased  God 
to  open  his  eyes  j  so  that  he  also  saw  clearly  what  was 


42  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1738 

the  nature  of  that  one  true  living  faith,  whereby  alone, 
"  through  grace,  we  are  saved." 

Thur.  4. — Peter  Bohler  left  London,  in  order  to 
embark  for  Carolina.  O  what  a  work  hath  God  begun, 
since  his  coming  into  England  !  such  an  one  as  shall 
never  come  to  an  end,  till  heaven  and  earth  pass 
away. 

Sun.  7. — I  preached  at  St.  Lawrence's  in  the  morn- 
ing ;  and  afterwards  at  St.  Katherine  Cree's  church.  I 
was  enabled  to  speak  strong  words  at  hdth ;  and  was 
therefore  the  less  surprised  at  being  informed,  I  was  not 
to  preach  any  more  in  either  of  those  churches. 

Sun.  14. — I  preached  in  the  morning  at  St.  Ann's, 
Aldersgate ;  and  in  the  afternoon  at  the  Savoy  Chapel, 
free  salvation  by  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ.  I  was 
quickly  apprised,  that  at  St.  Ann's,  likewise,  I  am  to 
preach  no  more. 

Fri.  19. — My  brother  had  a  second  return  of  his 
pleurisy.  A  few  of  us  spent  Saturday  night  in  prayer. 
The  next  day,  being  Whitsunday,  after  hearing  Dr. 
Heylyn  preach  a  truly  Christian  sermon  (on,  "  They 
were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost " :  "  And  so,"  said 
he,  "  may  all  you  be,  if  it  is  not  your  own  fault  "),  and 
assisting  him  at  the  holy  communion  (his  curate  being 
taken  ill  in  the  church),  I  received  the  surprising  news 
that  my  brother  had  found  rest  to  his  soul.  His  bodily 
strength  returned  also  from  that  hour.  "  Who  is  so  great 
a  God  as  our  God  ?  " 

I  preached  at  St.  John's,  Wapping,  at  three,  and  at 
St.  Bennett's,  Paul's-wharf,  in  the  evening.  At  these 
churches,  likewise,  I  am  to  preach  no  more.  At  St. 
Antholin's  I  preached  on  the  Thursday  following. 


May  1738       A  MEMORABLE  NIGHT  43 

Monday,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday,  I  had  continual 
sorrow  and  heaviness  in  my  heart. 

Wed.  May  24. — I  think  it  was  about  five  this 
morning  that  I  opened  my  Testament  on  those  words, 
"There  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises,  even  that  )'e  should  be  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature  "  (2  Peter  i.  4).  Just  as  I  went  out,  I  opened  it 
again  on  those  words,  "Thou  art  not  far  from  the 
kingdom  of  God."  In  the  afternoon  I  was  asked  to  go 
to  St.  Paul's,  The  anthem  was,  "  Out  of  the  deep  have 
I  called  unto  thee,  O  Lord  :  Lord,  hear  my  voice.  O 
let  thine  ears  consider  well  the  voice  of  my  complaint. 
If  thou,  Lord,  wilt  be  extreme  to  mark  what  is  done 
amiss,  O  Lord,  who  may  abide  it  ?  For  there  is  mercy 
with  thee  ;  therefore  shalt  thou  be  feared.  O  Israel, 
trust  in  the  Lord :  for  with  the  Lord  there  is  mercy, 
and  with  Him  is  plenteous  redemption.  And  He  shall 
redeem  Israel  from  all  his  sins." 

**I  Felt  my  Heart  Strangely  Warmed" 

In  the  evening  I  went  very  unwillingly  to  a  society  in 
Aldersgate-street,  where  one  was  reading  Luther's  preface 
to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  About  a  quarter  before 
nine,  while  he  was  describing  the  change  which  God 
works  in  the  heart  through  faith  in  Christ,  I  felt  my 
heart  strangely  warmed.  I  felt  I  did  trust  in  Christ, 
Christ  alone,  for  salvation ;  and  an  assurance  was  given 
me  that  He  had  taken  away  my  sins,  even  mine,  and 
saved  me  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death. 

I  began  to  pray  with  all  my  mic:ht  for  those  who  had 
in  a  more  especial  manner  despitefully  used  me  and 
persecuted  me.  I  then  testified  openly  to  all  there 
what  I  now  first  felt  in  my  heart.  But  it  was  not  long 
before  the  enemy  suggested,  "  This  cannot  be  faith ;  for 


44  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1738 

where  is  thy  joy  ?  "  Then  was  I  taught  that  peace  and 
victory  over  sin  are  essential  to  faith  in  the  Captain  of 
•-  our  salvation ;  but  that,  as  to  the  transports  of  joy  that 
usually  attend  the  beginning  of  it,  especially  in  those 
who  have  raoumed^eeply,  God  sometimes  giveth,  some- 
times withholdeth  them,  according  to  the  counsels  ot 
his  own  will. 

After  my  return  home,  I  was  much  buffeted  with 
temptations ;  but  cried  out,  and  they  fled  away.  They 
returned  again  and  again.  I  as  often  lifted  up  my  eyes, 
and  He  "  sent  me  help  from  his  holy  place."  And 
herein  I  found  the  difference  between  this  and  my  former 
state  chiefly  consisted.  I  was  striving,  yea,  fighting  with 
all  my  might  under  the  law,  as  well  as  under  grace. 
But  then  I  was  sometimes,  if  not  often,  conquered; 
now,  I  was  always  conqueror. 

Thur.  25. — The  moment  I  awaked,  "Jesus,  Master," 
was  in  my  heart  and  in  my  mouth ;  and  I  found  all  my 
strength  lay  in  keeping  my  eye  fixed  upon  him,  and  my 
soul  waiting  on  him  continually.  Being  again  at  St. 
Paul's  in  the  afternoon,  I  could  taste  the  good  word  of 
God  in  the  anthem,  which  began,  "  My  song  shall  be 
always  of  the  loving-kindness  of  the  Lord  :  with  my 
mouth  will  I  ever  be  showing  forth  thy  truth  from  one 
generation  to  another."  Yet  the  enemy  injected  a  fear, 
"  If  thou  dost  believe,  why  is  there  not  a  more  sensible 
change  ?  "  I  answered  (yet  not  I),  "  That  I  know  not. 
But  this  I  know,  I  have  '  now  peace  with  God.'  And  I 
sin  not  to-day,  and  Jesus  my  Master  has  forbid  me  to 
take  thought  for  the  morrow." 

Wed.  June  7. — I  determined,  if  God  should  permit, 
to  retire  for  a  short  time  into  Germany.  I  had  fully 
proposed,  before  I  left  Georgia,  so  to  do,  if  it  should 
please  God  to  bring  me  back  to  Europe.    And  I  now 


Dec.  1738      PREACHES  IN  NEWGATE 


45 


clearly  saw  the  time  was  come.  My  weak  mind  could 
not  bear  to  be  thus  sawn  asunder.  And  I  hoped  the 
conversing  with  those  holy  men  who  were  themselves 
living  witnesses  of  the  full  power  of  faith,  and  yet  able 
to  bear  with  those  that  are  weak,  would  be  a  means, 
under  God,  of  so  establishing  my  soul,  that  I  might  go 
on  from  faith  to  faith,  and  from  strength  to  strength." 

[The  next  three  months  Wesley  spent  in  Germany 
visiting  the  Moravians.] 

Wesley  Preaches  in  Newgate  Gaol 

Sun.  September  17  (London). — I  began  again  to 
declare  in  my  own  country  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation, 
preaching  three  times,  and  afterwards  expounding  the 
holy  Scripture,  to  a  large  company  in  the  Minories.  On 
Monday  I  rejoiced  to  meet  with  our  little  society,  which 
now  consisted  of  thirty-two  persons. 

The  next  day  I  went  to  the  condemned  felons,  in  New- 
gate, and  offered  them  free  salvation.  In  the  evening  I 
went  to  a  society  in  Bear  Yard,  and  preached  repentance 
and  remission  of  sins.  The  next  evening  I  spoke  the 
truth  in  love  at  a  society  in  Aldersgate  Street :  some 
contradicted  at  first,  but  not  long ;  so  that  nothing  but 
love  appeared  at  our  parting. 

Fri.  Nov.  3. — I  preached  at  St.  Antholin's  :  Sunday, 
5,  in  the  morning,  at  St.  Botolph's,  Bishopsgate ;  in  the 
afternoon,  at  IsHngton ;  and  in  the  evening,  to  such  a 
congregation  as  I  never  saw  before,  at  St.  Clement's,  in 
the  Strand.  As  this  was  the  first  time  of  my  preaching 
here,  I  suppose  it  is  to  be  the  last. 

Sun.  Dec.  3  (Oxford). — I  began  reading  prayers  at 
Bocardo  (the  city  prison),  which  had  been  long  discon- 
tinued. In  the  afternoon  I  received  a  letter,  earnestly 
desiring  me  to  publish  my  account  of  Georgia;  and 


46  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Mar.  1739 

another,  as  earnestly  dissuading  me  from  it,  "  because  it 
would  bring  much  trouble  upon  me."  I  consulted  God  in 
His  word,  and  received  two  answers :  the  first,  Ezek.  xxxiii. 
2-6  :  the  other,  "  Thou  therefore  endure  hardship,  as  a 
good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Tues.  5. — I  began  reading  prayers  and  preaching  in 
Gloucester  Green  workhouse ;  and  on  Thursday,  in  that 
belonging  to  St.  Thomas's  parish.  On  both  days  I 
preached  at  the  castle.  At  St.  Thomas's  was  a  young 
woman,  raving  mad,  screaming  and  tormenting  herself 
continually.  I  had  a  strong  desire  to  speak  to  her.  The 
moment  I  began  she  was  still.  The  tears  ran  down  her 
cheeks  all  the  time  I  was  telling  her,  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
is  able  and  willing  to  deliver  you." 

Mon.  II. — Hearing  Mr.  Whitefield  was  arrived  from 
Georgia,  I  hastened  to  London  from  Oxford;  and  on 
Tuesday,  12,  God  gave  us  once  more  to  take  sweet 
counsel  together. 

Wesley  Begins  Field'preaching 
1739.  March  15. — During  my  stay  [in  London]  I  was 
fully  employed ;  between  our  own  society  in  Fetter  Lane, 
and  many  others,  where  I  was  continually  desired  to 
expound ;  so  that  I  had  no  thought  of  leaving  London, 
when  I  received,  after  several  others,  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Whitefield,  and  another  from  Mr.  Seward,  entreating 
me,  in  the  most  pressing  manner,  to  come  to  Bristol 
without  delay.    This  I  was  not  at  all  forward  to  do. 

Wed.  28. — My  journey  was  proposed  to  our  society 
in  Fetter  Lane.  But  my  brother  Charles  would  scarce 
bear  the  mention  of  it ;  till  appealing  to  the  oracles  of 
God,  he  received  those  words  as  spoken  to  himself,  and 
answered  not  again  :  "  Son  of  man,  behold,  I  take  from 
thee  the  desire  of  thine  eyes  with  a  stroke :  yet  shalt 


April  1739   BEGINS  FIELD-PREACHING  47 

thou  not  mourn  or  weep,  neither  shall  thy  tears  run 
down."  Our  other  brethren,  however,  continuing  the 
dispute,  without  any  probability  of  their  coming  to  one 
conclusion,  we  at  length  all  agreed  to  decide  it  by  lot. 
And  by  this  it  was  determined  I  should  go. 

Thur.  29. — I  left  London,  and  in  the  evening  ex- 
pounded to  a  small  company  at  Basingstoke.  Saturday, 
31.  In  the  evening  I  reached  Bristol,  and  met  Mr. 
Whitefield  there.  I  could  scarce  reconcile  myself  at  first 
to  this  strange  way  of  preaching  in  the  fields,  of  which 
he  set  me  an  example  on  Sunday ;  having  been  all  my 
life  (till  very  lately)  so  tenacious  of  every  point  relating 
to  decency  and  order,  that  I  should  have  thought  the 
saving  of  souls  almost  a  sin,  if  it  had  not  been  done  in  a 
church. 

April  I. — In  the  evening  (Mr.  ^Vhitefield  being  gone) 
I  begun  expounding  our  Lord's  sermon  on  the  mount 
(one  pretty  remarkable  precedent  of  field-preaching, 
though  I  suppose  there  were  churches  at  that  time  also), 
to  a  little  society  which  was  accustomed  to  meet  once  or 
twice  a  week  in  Nicholas  Street. 

Mon.  2. — At  four  in  the  afternoon,  I  submitted  to 
be  more  \'ile,  and  proclaimed  in  the  highways  the  glad 
tidings  of  salvation,  speaking  from  a  little  eminence  in 
a  ground  adjoining  to  the  city,  to  about  three  thousand 
people.  The  Scripture  on  which  I  spoke  was  this  (is  it 
possible  any  one  should  be  ignorant,  that  it  is  fulfilled  in 
every  true  minister  of  Christ  ?  )  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
is  upon  me,  because  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  the  poor  ;  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken- 
hearted; to  preach  dehverance  to  the  captives,  and 
recovery  of  sight  to  the  blind;  to  set  at  liberty  them  that 
are  bruised,  to  proclaim  the  accceptable  year  of  the 
Lord." 


^48  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1739 

Sun.  8. — At  seven  in  the  morning  I  preached  to 
about  a  thousand  persons  at  Bristol,  and  afterwards  to 
about  fifteen  hundred  on  the  top  of  Hannam-mount  in 
Kingswood.  I  called  to  them,  in  the  words  of  the 
evangelical  Prophet,  "  Ho !  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters ;  come,  and  buy  wine  and  milk 
without  money  and  without  price."  About  five  thousand 
were  in  the  afternoon  at  Rose-green  (on  the  other  side 
df  Kingswood) ;  among  whom  I  stood  and  cried,  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  me  and  drink.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the 
Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of 
living  water."  , 

Tues.  1 7. — At  five  in  the  afternoon  I  was  at  a  little 
society  in  the  Back  Lane.  The  room  in  which  we  were 
was  propped  beneath,  but  the  weight  of  people  made  the 
floor  give  way ;  so  that  in  the  beginning  of  the  expound- 
ing, the  post  which  propped  it  fell  down  with  a  great 
noise.  But  the  floor  sunk  no  further;  so  that,  after  a 
little  surprise  at  first,  they  quietly  attended  to  the  things 
that  were  spoken. 

Mon.  May  7. — I  was  preparing  to  set  out  for  Pens- 
ford,  having  now  had  leave  to  preach  in  the  church,  when 
I  received  the  following  note  : 

"  Sir, — Our  minister,  having  been  informed  you  are 
beside  yourself,  does  not  care  you  should  preach  in  any 
of  his  churches." — I  went,  however ;  and  on  Priest- 
down,  about  half  a  mile  from  Pensford,  preached  Christ 
our  "  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption." 

Tues.  8. — I  went  to  Bath,  but  was  not  suffered  to  be 
in  the  meadow  where  I  was  before,  which  occasioned  the 
offer  of  a  much  more  convenient  place,  where  I  preached 
Christ  to  about  a  thousand  souls. 


May  1739  WESLEY  BUILDS 


49 


Wed.  9. — We  took  possession  of  a  piece  of  ground 
near  St.  James's  churchyard,  in  the  Horse  Fair,  Bristol, 
where  it  was  designed  to  build  a  room  large  enough  to 
contain  both  the  societies  of  Nicholas  and  Baldwin 
Street,  and  such  of  their  acquaintance  as  might  desire 
to  be  present  with  them,  at  such  times  as  the  Scripture 
was  expounded.  And  on  Saturday,  12,  the  first  stone 
was  laid  with  the  voice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving. 

The  First  Methodist  Building 
I  had  not  at  first  the  least  apprehension  or  design  of 
being  personally  engaged,  either  in  the  expense  of  this 
work  c-  in  the  direction  of  it,  having  appointed  eleven 
feoffees,  on  whom  I  supposed  these  burdens  would  fall, 
of  course  ;  but  I  quickly  found  my  mistake.  First,  with 
regard  to  the  expense :  for  the  whole  undertaking  must 
have  stood  still,  had  not  I  immediately  taken  upon  my- 
self the  payment  of  all  the  workmen ;  so  that  before  I 
knew  where  I  was,  I  had  contracted  a  debt  of  more  than 
a  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  And  this  I  was  to  dis- 
charge how  I  could ;  the  subscriptions  of  both  societies 
not  amounting  to  one  quarter  of  the  sum. 

And  as  to  the  direction  of  the  work,  I  presently 
received  letters  from  my  friends  in  London,  Mr.  White- 
field  in  particular,  backed  with  a  message  by  one  just 
come  from  thence,  that  neither  he  nor  they  would  have 
anything  to  do  with  the  building,  neither  contribute  any- 
thing towards  it,  unless  I  would  instantly  discharge  all 
feoffees,  and  do  everything  in  my  own  name.  Many 
reasons  they  gave  for  this ;  but  one  was  enough,  viz., 
"  that  such  feoffees  always  would  have  it  in  their  power 
to  control  me ;  and,  if  I  preached  not  as  they  liked,  to 
turn  me  out  of  the  room  I  had  built."  I  accordingly 
yielded  to   their   advice,  and  calling   all  the  feoffees 

D 


50  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1739 

together,  cancelled  (no  man  opposing)  the  instrument 
made  before,  and  took  the  whole  management  into  my 
own  hands.  Money,  it  is  true,  I  had  not,  nor  any  human 
prospect  or  probability  of  procuring  it ;  but  I  knew  "  the 
earth  is  the  Lord\s,  and  the  fulness  thereof,"  and  in  his 
name  set  out,  nothing  doubting. 

Sun.  13. — My  ordinary  employment,  in  public,  was 
now  as  follows :  Every  morning  I  read  prayers  and 
preached  at  Newgate.  Every  evening  I  expounded  a 
portion  of  Scripture  at  one  or  more  of  the  societies. 
On  Monday,  in  the  afternoon,  I  preached  abroad,  near 
Bristol ;  on  Tuesday,  at  Bath  and  Two  Mile  Hill  alter- 
nately ;  on  Wednesday,  at  Baptist  Mills ;  every  other 
Thursday,  near  Pensford  ;  every  other  Friday,  in  another 
part  of  Kingswood;  on  Saturday  in  the  afternoon,  and 
Sunday  morning,  in  the  Bowling-green  (which  lies 
near  the  middle  of  the  city) ;  on  Sunday,  at  eleven,  near 
Hannam-mount ;  at  two,  at  Clifton;  and  at  five  on 
Rose-green.  And  hitherto,  as  my  days,  so  my  strength 
hath  been. 

Wesley's  Living  Arguments 
Sun.  20. — Seeing  many  of  the  rich  at  Clifton  church, 
my  heart  was  much  pained  for  them,  and  I  was  earnestly 
desirous  that  some  even  of  them  might  "  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  But  full  as  I  was,  I  knew  not 
where  to  begin  in  warning  them  to  flee  from  the  wrath 
to  come  till  my  Testament  opened  on  these  words  :  "  I 
came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repent- 
ance " ;  in  applying  which  my  soul  was  so  enlarged  that 
methought  I  could  have  cried  out  (in  another  sense 
than  poor  vain  Archimedes),  "  Give  me  where  to  stand, 
and  T  will  shake  the  earth."  God's  sending  forth 
lightning  with  the  rain  did  not  hinder  about  fifteen 


May  1739        LIVING  ARGUMENTS  51 

, hundred  from  staying  at  Rose-green.  Our  Scripture 
was,  "  It  is  the  glorious  God  that  maketh  the  thunder. 
The  voice  of  the  Lord  is  mighty  in  operation ;  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  is  a  glorious  voice."  In  the  evening 
he  spoke  to  three  whose  souls  were  all  storm  and 
tempest,  and  immediately  there  was  a  great  calm. 

During  this  whole  time  I  was  almost  continually 
asked,  either  by  those  who  purposely  came  to  Bristol  to 
inquire  concerning  this  strange  work,  or  by  my  old  or 
new  correspondents,  "  How  can  these  things  be  ?  "  And 
innumerable  cautions  were  given  me  (generally  grounded 
on  gross  misrepresentations  of  things),  not  to  regard 
visions  or  dreams,  or  to  fancy  people  had  remission  of 
sins  because  of  their  cries,  or  tears,  or  bare  outward 
professions.  To  one  who  had  many  times  wrote  to  me 
on  this  head,  the  sum  of  my  answer  was  as  follows : 

"The  question  between  us  turns  chiefly,  if  not 
wholly,  on  matter  of  fact.  You  deny  that  God  does  now 
work  these  effects ;  at  least,  that  he  works  them  in  this 
manner.  I  affirm  both,  because  I  have  heard  these  things 
with  my  own  ears,  and  have  seen  with  my  eyes.  I 
have  seen  (as  far  as  a  thing  of  this  kind  can  be  seen)  very 
many  persons  changed  in  a  moment  from  the  spirit  of 
fear,  horror,  despair,  to  the  spirit  of  love,  joy,  and  peace; 
and  from  sinful  desire,  till  then  reigning  over  them,  to  a 
pure  desire  of  doing  the  will  of  God.  These  are  matters 
of  fact,  whereof  I  have  been,  and  almost  daily  am,  an  eye 
or  ear  witness. 

What  I  have  to  say  touching  visions  or  dreams,  is 
this :  I  know  several  persons  in  whom  this  great  change 
was  wrought  in  a  dream,  or  during  a  strong  represen- 
tation to  the  eye  of  their  mind,  of  Christ  either  on  the 
cross  or  in  the  glory.  This  is  the  fact ;  let  any  judge  of 
it  as  they  please.    And  that  such  a  change  was  then 


52  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1739 

.  wrought  appears  (not  from  their  shedding  tears  only,  or 
!  falling  into  fit,  or  crying  out ;  these  are  not  the  fruits,  as 
'/  you  seem  to  suppose,  whereby  I  judge,  but)  from  the 
'  whole  tenor  of  their  life,  till  then  many  ways  wicked; 
from  that  time  l\oly,  just,  and  good. 

"  I  will  show  you  him  that  was  a  lion  till  then,  and  is 
now  a  lamb ;  him  that  was  a  drunkard,  and  is  now 
exemplarily  sober ;  the  whoremonger  that  was,  who  now 
abhors  the  very  '  garment  spotted  by  the  flesh.'  These 
are  my  living  arguments  for  what  I  assert,  viz.,  '  that 
God  does  now,  as  aforetime,  give  remission  of  sins  and 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  even  to  us  and  to  our  children ; 
yea,  and  that  always  suddenly  as  far  as  I  have  known,  and 
often  in  dreams  or  in  the  visions  of  God.'  If  it  be  not 
so,  I  am  found  a  false  witness  before  God.  For  these 
things  I  do,  and  by  his  grace,  will  testify." 

Beau  Nash  Argues  with  "Wesley 

Tues.  June  5. — There  was  great  expectation  at  Bath 
of  what  a  noted  man  was  to  do  to  me  there ;  and  I  was 
much  entreated  not  to  preach,  because  no  one  knew 
what  might  happen.  By  this  report  I  also  gained  a 
much  larger  audience,  among  whom  were  many  of  the 
rich  and  great.  I  told  them  plainly,  the  Scripture  had 
concluded  them  all  under  sin — high  and  low,  rich  and 
poor,  one  with  another.  Many  of  them  seemed  to  be  a 
little  surprised,  and  were  sinking  apace  into  seriousness, 
when  their  champion  appeared,  and  coming  close  to  me, 
asked  by  what  authority  I  did  these  things. 

I  replied,  "  By  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ,  conveyed 
to  me  by  the  (now)  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  when  he 
laid  hands  upon  me,  and  said,  '  Take  thou  authority  to 
preach  the  Gospel.'"  He  said,  "This  is  contrary  to 
Act  of  Parliament :  this  is  a  conventicle."    I  answered, 


June  1739     ^E^U  NASH  AND  WESLEY  53 

"  Sir,  the  conventicles  mentioned  in  that  Act  (as  the 
preamble  shows)  are  seditious  meetings ;  but  this  is  not 
such ;  here  is  no  shadow  of  sedition ;  therefore  it  is  not 
contrary  to  that  Act."  He  replied,  "  I  say  it  is  :  and, 
beside,  your  preaching  frightens  people  out  of  their 
wits." 

"  Sir,  did  you  ever  hear  me  preach  ?  "  "  No."  "  How, 
then,  can  you  judge  of  what  you  never  heard  ?  "  "  Sir, 
by  common  report."  "  Common  report  is  not  enough. 
Give  me  leave.  Sir,  to  ask,  Is  not  your  name  Nash  ? " 
"  My  name  is  Nash."  "  Sir,  I  dare  not  judge  of  you  by 
common  report :  I  think  it  not  enough  to  judge  by." 
Here  he  paused  awhile,  and,  having  recovered  himself, 
said,  "I  desire  to  know  what  this  people  comes  here 
for  " :  on  which  one  replied,  "  Sir,  leave  him  to  me :  let 
an  old  woman  answer  him.  You,  Mr.  Nash,  take  care 
of  your  body ;  we  take  care  of  our  souls  ;  and  for  the 
food  of  our  souls  we  come  here."  He  replied  not  a 
word,  but  walked  away. 

As  I  returned,  the  street  was  full  of  people,  hurrying 
to  and  fro,  and  speaking  great  words.  But  when  any  of 
them  asked,  "  Which  is  he  ?  "  and  I  replied,  "  I  am  he," 
they  were  immediately  silent.  Several  ladies  following 
me  into  Mr.  Merchant's  house,  the  servant  told  me 
there  were  some  wanted  to  speak  to  me.  I  went  to 
them,  and  said,  '« I  believe,  ladies,  the  maid  mistook  : 
you  only  wanted  to  look  at  me."  I  added,  "  I  do  not 
expect  that  the  rich  and  great  should  want  either  to 
speak  with  me,  or  to  hear  me;  for  I  speak  the  plain 
truth — a  thing  you  hear  little  of,  and  do  not  desire  to 
hear."  A  few  more  words  passed  between  us,  and  I 
retired. 

Mon.  II  I  received  a  pressing  letter  from  London 

(as  I  had  several  others  before),  to  come  thithei  as  soon 


54  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1739 

as  possible ;  our  brethren  in  Fetter  Lane  being  in  great 
confusion  for  want  of  my  presence  and  advice.  I 
therefore  preached  in  the  afternoon  on  these  words  :  "  I 
take  you  to  record  this  day,  that  I  am  pure  from  the 
blood  of  all  msn ;  for  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare 
unto  you  all  the  counsel  of  God."  After  sermon  I 
commended  them  to  the  grace  of  God,  in  whom  they 
had  believed.  Surely  God  hath  yet  a  work  to  do  in  this 
place.  I  have  not  found  such  love,  no,  not  in  England ; 
nor  so  childlike,  artless,  teachable,  a  temper,  as  He  hath 
given  to  this  people. 

Yet,  during  this  whole  time,  I  had  many  thoughts 
concerning  the  unusual  manner  of  my  ministering 
among  them.  But  after  frequently  laying  it  before  the 
Lord,  and  calmly  weighing  whatever  objections  I  heard 
against  it,  I  could  not  but  adhere  to  what  I  had  some 
time  since  wrote  to  a  friend,  who  had  freely  spoken  his 
sentiments  concerning  it.  An  extract  of  that  letter  I 
here  subjoin  that  the  matter  may  be  placed  in  a  clear 
light. 

**A11  the  World  my  Parish'* 

"You  say,  you  cannot  reconcile  some  parts  of  my 
behaviour  with  the  character  I  have  long  supported. 
No,  nor  ever  will.  Therefore  I  have  disclaimed  that 
character  on  every  possible  occasion.  I  told  all  in 
our  ship,  all  at  Savannah,  all  at  Frederica,  and  that 
over  and  over,  in  express  terms,  '  I  am  not  a  Christian ; 
I  only  follow  after,  if  haply  I  may  attain  it.' 

"  If  you  ask  on  what  principle  I  acted,  it  was  this  : 
'A  desire  to  be  a  Christian;  and  a  conviction  that 
whatever  I  judge  conducive  thereto,  that  I  am  bound  to 
do;  wherever  I  judge  I  can  best  answer  this  end,  thither 


June  1739    THE  WORLD  MY  PARISH  55 

it  is  my  duty  to  go.'  On  this  principle  I  set  out  for 
America ;  on  this  I  visited  the  Moravian  church ;  and 
on  the  same  am  I  ready  now  (God  being  my  helper)  to 
go  to  Abyssinia  or  China,  or  whithersoever  it  shall 
please  God,  by  this  conviction,  to  call  me. 

"  As  to  your  advice  that  I  should  settle  in  college,  I 
have  no  business  there,  having  now  no  office,  and  no 
pupils.  And  whether  the  other  branch  of  your  pro- 
posal be  expedient  for  me,  viz.,  '  to  accept  of  a  cure  of 
souls,'  it  will  be  time  enough  to  consider  when  one  is 
offered  to  me. 

"  But,  in  the  meantime,  you  think  I  ought  to  sit  still ; 
because  otherwise  I  should  invade  another's  office,  if  I 
interfered  with  other  people's  business  and  intermeddled 
with  souls  that  did  not  btlong  to  me.  You  accordingly 
ask,  '  How  is  it  that  I  assemble  Christians  who  are  none 
of  my  charge,  to  sing  psalms,  and  pray,  and  hear  the 
Scriptures  expounded  ? '  and  think  it  hard  to  justify 
doing  this  in  other  men's  parishes,  upon  catholic 
principles  ? 

"Permit  me  to  speak  plainly.  If  by  catholic  prin- 
ciples you  mean  any  other  than  scriptural,  they  weigh 
nothing  with  me ;  I  allow  no  other  rule,  whether  of  faith 
or  practice,  than  the  holy  Scriptures.  But  on  scriptural 
principles,  I  do  not  think  it  hard  to  justify  whatever  I 
do.  God  in  Scripture  commands  me,  according  to  my 
power,  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  reform  the  wicked, 
confirm  the  virtuous.  Man  forbids  me  to  do  this  in 
another's  parish  ;  that  is,  in  effect,  to  do  it  at  all ;  seeing 
I  have  now  no  parish  of  my  own,  nor  probably  ever 
shall.    Whom  then  shall  I  hear,  God  or  man  ? 

"  I  look  upon  all  the  world  as  my  parish ;  thus  far  I 
mean,  that,  in  whatever  part  of  it  I  am,  I  judge  it  meet, 


56  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1739 

right,  and  my  bounden  duty,  to  declare  unto  all  that  are 
willing  to  hear,  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.  This  is 
the  work  which  I  know  God  has  called  me  to ;  and  sure 
I  am  that  his  blessing  attends  it.  Great  encouragement 
have  I,  therefore,  ^o  be  faithful  in  fulfilling  the  work  he 
hath  given  me  to  do.  His  servant  I  am,  and,  as  such, 
am  employed  according  to  the  plain  direction  of  his 
word,  '  As  I  have  opportunity,  doing  good  unto  all 
men ' ;  and  his  providence  clearly  concurs  with  his  word ; 
which  has  disengaged  me  from  all  things  else,  that  I 
might  singly  attend  on  this  very  thing,  'and  go  about 
doing  good.' " 


Susanna  "Wesley  and  her  Son 
Wed.  13. — After  receiving  the  holy  communion  at 
Islington,  I  had  once  more  an  opportunity  of  seeing  my 
mother,  whom  I  had  not  seen  since  my  return  from 
Germany. 

I  cannot  but  mention  an  odd  circumstance  here.  I 
had  read  her  a  paper  m  June  last  year,  containing  a 
short  account  of  what  had  passed  in  my  own  soul,  till 
within  a  few  days  of  that  time.  She  greatly  approved 
it,  and  said  she  heartily  blessed  God,  who  had  brought 
me  to  so  just  a  way  of  thinking.  While  I  was  in 
Germany  a  copy  of  that  paper  was  sent  (without  my 
knowledge)  to  one  of  my  relations.  He  sent  an  account 
of  it  to  my  mother,  whom  I  now  found  under  strange 
fears  concerning  me,  being  convinced  "  by  an  account 
taken  from  one  of  my  own  papers,  that  I  had  greatly 
erred  from  the  faith."  I  could  not  conceive  what  paper 
that  should  be;  but,  on  inquiry,  found  it  was  the  same 
I  had  read  her  myself.  How  hard  is  it  to  form  a  true 
judgment  of  any  person  or  thing  from  the  account  of  a 


June  1739  SUSANNA  WESLEY  57 

prejudiced  relater !  yea,  though  he  be  ever  so  honest  a 
man  :  for  he  who  gave  this  relation  was  one  of  unquestion- 
able veracity.  And  yet  by  his  sincere  account  of  a 
writing  which  lay  before  his  eyes,  was  the  truth  so  totally 
disguised,  that  my  mother  knew  not  the  paper  she  had 
heard  from  end  to  end,  nor  I  that  I  had  myself  wrote. 

Thur.  14. — I  went  with  Mr.  Whitefield  to  Blackheath, 
where  were,  I  believe,  twelve  or  fourteen  thousand  people. 
He  a  little  surprised  me,  by  desiring  me  to  preach  in  his 
stead ;  which  I  did  (though  nature  recoiled)  on  my 
favourite  subject,  "  Jesus  Christ,  who  of  God  is  made 
unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption." 

I  was  greatly  moved  with  compassion  for  the  rich  that 
were  there,  to  whom  I  made  a  particular  application. 
Some  of  them  seemed  to  attend,  while  others  drove 
away  their  coaches  from  so  uncouth  a  preacher. 

Sun.  17. — I  preached,  at  seven,  in  Upper- Moor- 
fields,  to  (I  believe)  six  or  seven  thousand  people, 
on,  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters." 

At  five  I  preached  on  Kennington  Common,  to  about 
fifteen  thousand  people,  on  those  words,  "  Look  unto 
me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  ye  ends  of  the  earth." 

Mon.  18. — I  left  London  early  in  the  morning,  and 
the  next  evening  reached  Bristol,  and  preached  (as  I 
had  appointed,  if  God  should  permit)  to  a  numerous 
congregation.  My  text  now  also  was,  "  Look  unto  me 
and  be  ye  saved,  all  ye  ends  of  the  earth."  Howell 
Harris  called  upon  me  an  hour  or  two  after.  He  said, 
he  had  been  much  dissuaded  from  either  hearing  or 
seeing  me,  by  many  who  said  all  manner  of  evil  of  me. 
"  But,"  said  he,  "  as  soon  as  I  heard  you  preach,  I 
quickly  found  what  spirit  you  was  of.    And  before  you 


58  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1739 

had  done,  I  was  so  overpowered  with  joy  and  love,  that 
I  had  much  ado  to  walk  home." 

Sun.  24. — As  I  was  riding  to  Rose -green,  in  a 
smooth,  plain  part  of  the  road,  my  horse  suddenly 
pitched  upon  'his  head,  and  rolled  over  and  over.  I 
received  no  other  hurt  than  a  little  bruise  on  one  side ; 
which  for  the  present  I  felt  not,  but  preached  without 
pain  to  six  or  seven  thousand  people  on  that  important 
direction,  "  Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatever  you 
do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God." 

Talks  with  Whitefield 

Fri.  July  6. — In  the  afternoon  I  was  with  Mr.  White- 
field,  just  come  from  London,  with  whom  I  went  to 
Baptist  Mills,  where  he  preached  concerning  "  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  all  who  believe  are  to  receive " ;  not 
without  a  just,  though  severe,  censure  of  those  who 
preach  as  if  there  were  no  Holy  Ghost. 

Sat.  7. — I  had  an  opportunity  to  talk  with  him  ot 
those  outward  signs  which  had  so  often  accompanied 
the  inward  work  of  God.  I  found  his  objections  were 
chiefly  grounded  on  gross  misrepresentations  of  matter 
of  fact.  But  the  next  day  he  had  an  opportunity  of  in- 
forming himself  better :  for  no  sooner  had  he  begun  (in 
the  application  of  his  sermon)  to  invite  all  sinners  to 
believe  in  Christ,  than  four  persons  sunk  down  close  to 
him,  almost  in  the  same  moment.  One  of  them  lay 
without  either  sense  or  motion.  A  second  trembled 
exceedingly.  The  third  had  strong  convulsions  all  over 
his  body,  but  made  no  noise,  unless  by  groans.  The 
fourth,  equally  convulsed,  called  upon  God,  with  strong 
cries  and  tears.  From  this  time,  I  trust,  we  shall  all 
suffer  God  to  carry  on  his  own  work  in  the  way  that 
pleaseth  him. 


July  1739    TALKS  WITH  WHITEFIELD  59 

Fri.  13. — On  Frid:.y,  in  the  afternoon,  I  left  Bristol 
with  Mr.  Whitefield,  in  the  midst  of  heavy  rain.  But 
the  clouds  soon  dispersed,  so  that  we  had  a  fair,  calm 
evening,  and  a  serious  congregation  at  Thornbury. 

Tues.  17. — I  rode  to  Bradford,  five  miles  from  Bath, 
whither  I  had  been  long  invited  to  come.  I  waited  on 
the  minister,  and  desired  leave  to  preach  in  his  church. 
He  said,  it  was  not  usual  to  preach  on  the  week  days ; 
but  if  I  could  come  thither  on  a  Sunday,  he  should 
be  glad  of  my  assistance.  Thence  I  went  to  a  gentle- 
man in  the  town,  who  had  been  present  when  I  preached 
at  Bath,  and,  with  the  strongest  marks  of  sincerity  and 
affection,  wished  me  good  luck  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
But  it  was  past.  I  found  him  now  quite  cold.  He 
began  disputing  on  several  heads ;  and  at  last  told  me 
plainly,  one  of  our  own  college  had  informed  him  they 
always  took  me  to  be  a  little  crack-brained  at  Oxford. 

However,  some  persons  who  were  not  of  his  mind, 
having  pitched  on  a  convenient  place  (called  Bear  Field, 
or  Bury  Field),  on  the  top  of  the  hill  under  which  the 
town  lies  ;  I  there  offered  Christ  to  about  a  thousand 
people,  for  "  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and 
redemption."  Thence  I  returned  to  Bath,  and  preached 
on,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  "  to  a  larger  audience 
than  ever  before. 

I  was  wondering  the  "god  of  this  world"  was  so  still; 
when,  at  my  return  from  the  place  of  preaching,  poor 

R  d  Merchant  told  me,  he  could  not  let  me  preach 

any  more  in  his  ground.  I  asked  him  why;  he  said, 
the  people  hurt  his  trees,  and  stole  things  out  of  his 
ground.  "  And  besides,"  added  he,  "  I  have  already,  by 
letting  thee  be  there,  merited  the  displeasure  of  my 
neighbours."  O  fear  of  man  !  Who  is  above  thee,  but 
they  who  indeed  "  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth  ?" 


60  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1739 

Not  even  those  who  have  one  foot  in  the  grave !  Not 
even  those  who  dwell  in  rooms  of  cedar  ;  and  who  have 
heaped  up  gold  as  the  dust,  and  silver  as  the  sand  of 
the  sea. 

PfesS'gang  Disturbs  the  Sermon 

Sat.  21. — I  began  expounding,  a  second  time,  our 
Lord's  sermon  on  the  mount.  In  the  morning,  Sunday, 
22,  as  I  was  explaining,  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit," 
to  about  three  thousand  people,  we  had  a  fair  oppor- 
tunity of  showing  all  men,  what  manner  of  spirit  we  were 
of:  for  in  the  middle  of  the  sermon  the  press-gang  came, 
and  seized  on  one  of  the  hearers  (ye  learned  in  the  law, 
what  becomes  of  Magna  Charta,  and  of  English  liberty 
and  property?  Are  not  these  mere  sounds,  while,  on 
any  pretence,  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  press-gang 
suffered  in  the  land  ?),  all  the  rest  standing  still  and 
none  opening  his  mouth  or  hfting  up  his  hand  to  resist 
them. 

Mon.  Sept.  3  (London). — I  talked  largely  with  my 
mother,  who  told  me  that,  till  a  short  time  since,  she 
had  scarce  heard  such  a  thing  mentioned,  as  the  having 
forgiveness  of  sins  now,  or  God's  Spirit  bearing  witness 
with  our  spirit :  much  less  did  she  imagine  that  this  was 
the  common  privilege  of  all  true  believers.  *'  There- 
fore," said  she,  "  I  never  durst  ask  for  it  myself.  But 
two  or  three  weeks  ago,  while  my  son  Hall  was  pro- 
nouncing those  words,  in  delivering  the  cup  to  me, 
'  The  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  was  given 
for  thee,'  the  words  struck  through  my  heart,  and  I 
knew  God  for  Christ's  sake  had  forgiven  me  all  my 
sins." 

I  asked  whether  her  father  (Dr.  Annesley)  had  not 
the  same  faith;  and,  whether  she  had  not  heard  him 


Sept.  1739        METHODISM  NAMED  6I 

preach  it  to  others.  She  answered,  he  had  it  himself ; 
and  declared,  a  little  before  his  death,  that  for  more  than 
forty  years  he  had  no  darkness,  no  fear,  no  doubt  at  all 
of  his  being  "accepted  in  the  Beloved."  But  that, 
nevertheless,  she  did  not  remember  to  have  heard  him 
preach,  no,  not  once,  explicitly  upon  it :  whence  she 
supposed  he  also  looked  upon  it  as  the  peculiar  blessing 
of  a  few  ;  not  as  promised  to  all  the  people  of  God. 

The  New  Name  of  Methodism 
Sun.  9. — I  declared  to  about  ten  thousand,  in  Moor- 
fields,  what  they  must  do  to  be  saved.  My  mother  went 
with  us,  about  five,  to  Kennington,  where  were  supposed 
to  be  twenty  thousand  people.  I  again  insisted  on  that 
foundation  of  all  our  hope,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  From  Kennington  I  went  to 
a  society  at  Lambeth.  The  house  being  filled,  the  rest 
stood  in  the  garden.  The  deep  attention  they  showed 
gave  me  a  good  hope  that  they  will  not  all  be  forgetful 
hearers. 

Sun.  16. — I  preached  at  Moorfields  to  about  ten 
thousand,  and  at  Kennington  Common  to,  I  believe, 
near  twenty  thousand,  on  those  words  of  the  calmer  Jews 
to  St.  Paul,  "  We  desire  to  hear  of  thee  what  thou 
thinkest ;  for  as  concerning  this  sect,  we  know  that 
everywhere  it  is  spoken  against."  At  both  places  I 
described  the  real  difference  between  what  is  generally 
called  Christianity  and  the  true  old  Christianity,  which, 
under  the  new  name  of  Methodism,  is  now  also  every- 
where spoken  against. 

Sun.  23. — I  declared  to  about  ten  thousand,  in  Moor- 
fields, with  great  enlargement  of  spirit,  "  The  kingdom 
of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink  ;  but  righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."    At  Kennington  I 


62 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1739 


enforced  to  about  twenty  thousand  that  great  truth, 
"  One  thing  is  needful."  Thence  I  went  to  Lambeth, 
and  showed  (to  the  amazement,  it  seemed,  of  many  who 
were  present)  how  "  he  that  is  born  of  God  doth  not 
j  commit  sin."  , 

Mon.  24. — I  preached  once  more  at  Plaistow,  and 
took  my  leave  of  the  people  of  that  place.  In  my 
return,  a  person  galloping  swiftly  rode  full  against  me, 
and  overthrew  both  man  and  horse  ;  but  without  any 
hurt  to  either.  Glory  be  to  Him  who  saves  both  man 
and  beast ! 

An  Accident  and  a  Long  Sermon 
Thur.  27. — I  went  in  the  afternoon  to  a  society  at 
Deptford,  and  thence,  at  six,  came  to  Turner's  Hall : 
which  holds  (by  computation)  two  thousand  persons. 
The  press  both  within  and  without  was  very  great.  In 
the  beginning  of  the  expounding,  there  being  a  large 
vault  beneath,  the  main  beam  which  supported  the  floor 
broke.  The  floor  immediately  sunk,  which  occasioned 
much  noise  and  confusion  among  the  people.  But  two 
or  three  days  before,  a  man  had  filled  the  vault  with 
hogsheads  of  tobacco.  So  that  the  floor,  after  sinking  a 
foot  or  two,  rested  upon  them,  and  I  went  on  without 
interruption. 

Sun.  Oct,  7. — About  eleven  I  preached  at  Runwick, 
seven  miles  from  Gloucester.  The  church  was  much 
crowded,  though  a  thousand  or  upwards  stayed  in  the 
churchyard.  In  the  afternoon  I  explained  further  the 
same  words,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ? "  I 
believe  some  thousands  were  then  present,  more  than 
had  been  in  the  morning. 

Between  five  and  six  I  called  on  all  who  were  present 
(about  three  thousand)  at  Stanley,  on  a  little  green,  near 


Oct.  1739         WESLEY  IN  WALES  6S 

the  town,  to  accept  of  Christ,  as  their  only  "  wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption."  I  was 
strengthened  to  speak  as  I  never  did  before  ;  and  con- 
tinued speaking  near  two  hours  :  the  darkness  of  the 
night,  and  a  httle  lightning,  not  lessening  the  number, 
but  increasing  the  seriousness,  of  the  hearers.  I  con- 
cluded the  day  by  expounding  part  of  our  Lord's 
sermon  on  the  mount,  to  a  small,  serious  company  at 
Ebly. 

Wesley  in  "Wales 

Mon.  15. — Upon  a  pressing  invitation,  some  time 
since  received,  I  set  out  for  Wales.  About  four  in  the 
afternoon  I  preached  on  a  little  green,  at  the  foot  of  the 
Devauden  (a  high  hill,  two  or  three  miles  beyond  Chep- 
stow), to  three  or  four  hundred  plain  people,  on  "  Christ 
our  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemp- 
tion." After  sermon,  one  who  I  trust  is  an  old  disciple 
of  Christ,  willingly  received  us  into  his  house  :  whither 
many  following,  I  showed  them  their  need  of  a  Saviour, 
from  these  words,  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit."  Ta 
the  morning  I  described  more  fully  the  way  to  salvation 
— "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved  "  : 
and  then,  taking  leave  of  my  friendly  host,  before  two 
came  to  Abergavenny. 

I  felt  in  myself  a  strong  aversion  to  preaching  here. 

However,  I  went  to  Mr.  W          (the  person  in  whose 

ground  Mr.  Whitefield  preached),  to  desire  the  use  of  it 
He  said,  with  all  his  heart — if  the  minister  was  not 
willing  to  let  me  have  the  use  of  the  church  :  after  whose 
refusal  (for  I  wrote  a  line  to  him  immediately),  he  invited 
me  to  his  house.  About  a  thousand  people  stood 
patiently  (though  the  frost  was  sharp,  it  being  after  sun- 
set), while,  from  Acts  xxviii.  22,  I  simply  described  the 


64  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1739 

plain,  old  religion  of  the  Church  of  England,  which  is 
now  almost  everywhere  spoken  against,  under  the  new 
name  of  Methodism. 

Fri.  19. — I  preached  in  the  morning  at  Newport  on 
"  What  must  I^do  to  be  saved  ?  "  to  the  most  insensible, 
ill-behaved  people  I  have  ever  seen  in  Wales.  One 
ancient  man,  during  a  great  part  of  the  sermon,  cursed 
and  swore  almost  incessantly;  and,  towards  the  conclu- 
sion, took  up  a  great  stone,  which  he  many  times  at- 
tempted to  throw.  But  that  he  could  not  do. — Such 
the  champions,  such  the  arms  against  field-preaching  ! 

At  four  I  preached  at  the  Shire  Hall  of  Cardiff  again, 
where  many  gentry,  I  found,  were  present.  Such  free- 
dom of  speech  I  have  seldom  had,  as  was  given  me  in 
explaining  those  words,  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not 
meat  and  drink  ;  but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost."  At  six  almost  the  whole  town  (I 
was  informed)  came  together  ;  to  whom  I  explained  the 
six  last  beatitudes  :  but  my  heart  was  so  enlarged,  I  knew 
not  how  to  give  over,  so  that  we  continued  three  hours. 

Sat.  20. — I  returned  to  Bristol.  I  have  seen  no  part 
of  England  so  pleasant  for  sixty  or  seventy  miles  to- 
gether as  those  parts  of  Wales  I  have  been  in.  And 
most  of  the  inhabitants  are  indeed  ripe  for  the  Gospel. 

♦♦A  Terrible  Sight" 
Tues.  25. — In  riding  to  Bradford  I  read  over  Mr. 
Law's  book  on  the  new  birth.    Philosophical,  specula- 
tive, precarious  :  Behmenish,  void,  and  vain ! 

"  O  what  a  fall  is  there  1 " 

At  eleven  I  preached  at  Bearfield  to  about  three  thousand, 
on  the  spirit  of  nature,  of  bondage,  and  of  adoption. 
Returning  in  the  evening,  I  was  exceedingly  pressed 


Oct.  1739      "A  TERRIBLE  SIGHT"  65 

to  go  back  to  a  young  woman  in  Kingswood.  (The 
fact  I  nakedly  relate,  and  leave  every  man  to  his  own 
judgment  of  it.)  I  went.  She  was  nineteen  or  twenty 
years  old ;  but,  it  seems,  could  not  write  or  read.  I 
found  her  on  the  bed,  two  or  three  persons  holding  her. 
It  was  a  terrible  sight.  Anguish,  horror,  and  despair, 
above  all  description,  appeared  in  her  pale  face.  The 
thousand  distortions  of  her  whole  body  showed  how 
the  dogs  of  hell  were  gnawing  her  heart.  The  shrieks 
intermixed  were  scarce  to  be  endured.  But  her  stony 
eyes  could  not  weep.  She  screamed  out,  as  soon  as 
words  could  find  their  way,  "  I  am  damned,  damned ; 
lost  for  ever !  Six  days  ago  you  might  have  helped  me. 
But  it  is  past.  I  am  the  devil's  now.  I  have  given 
myself  to  him.  His  I  am.  Him  I  must  serve.  With 
him  I  must  go  to  hell.  I  will  be  his.  I  will  serve  him. 
I  will  go  with  him  to  hell.  I  cannot  be  saved.  I  will 
not  be  saved.  I  must,  I  will,  I  will  be  damned  1 "  She 
then  began  praying  to  the  devil.    We  began : 

"Arm  of  the  Lord,  awake,  awake  1 " 

She  immediately  sunk  down  as  asleep;  but,  as  soon  as 
we  left  off,  broke  out  again,  with  inexpressible  vehemence  : 
"  Stony  hearts,  break  !  I  am  a  warning  to  you.  Break, 
break,  poor  stony  hearts  !  Will  you  not  break?  What 
can  be  done  more  for  stony  hearts?  I  am  damned 
that  you  may  be  saved.  Now  break,  now  break,  poor 
stony  hearts !  You  need  not  be  damned,  though  I 
must."  She  then  fixed  her  eyes  on  the  corner  of  the 
ceiling,  and  said  :  « There  he  is  :  ay,  there  he  is ! 
Come,  good  devil,  come !  Take  me  away.  You  said 
you  would  dash  my  brains  out :  come,  do  it  quickly.  I 
am  yours.  I  will  be  yours.  Come  just  now.  Take 
me  away." 

S 


66  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1739 

We  interrupted  her  by  calling  again  upon  God  :  on 
which  she  sunk  down  as  before :  and  another  young 
woman  began  to  roar  out  as  loud  as  she  had  done. 
My  brother  now  came  in,  it  being  about  nine  o'clock. 
We  continued  in  prayer  till  past  eleven ;  when  God  in  a 
moment  spoke  peace  into  the  soul,  first  of  the  first 
tormented,  and  then  of  the  other.  And  they  both  joined 
in  singing  praise  to  Him  who  had  "  stilled  the  enemy 
and  the  avenger." 

** Yonder  Comes  Wesley,  Galloping** 

Sat.  27. — I  was  sent  for  to  Kingswood  again,  to  one 
of  those  who  had  been  so  ill  before.  A  violent  rain 
began  just  as  I  set  out,  so  that  I  was  thoroughly  wet  in 
a  few  minutes.  Just  at  that  time  the  woman  (then  three 
miles  off)  cried  out,  "  Yonder  comes  Wesley,  galloping 
as  fast  as  he  can."  When  I  was  come,  T  was  quite  cold 
and  dead,  and  fitter  for  sleep  than  prayer.  She  burst 
out  into  a  horrid  laughter,  and  said,  "No  power,  no 
power ;  no  faith,  no  faith.  She  is  mine ;  her  soul  is 
mine.    I  have  her,  and  will  not  let  her  go." 

We  begged  of  God  to  increase  our  faith.  Meanwhile 
her  pangs  increased  more  and  more ;  so  that  one  would 
have  imagined,  by  the  violence  of  the  throes,  her  body 
must  have  been  shattered  to  pieces.  One  who  was 
clearly  convinced  this  was  no  natural  disorder,  said,  "  I 
think  Satan  is  let  loose.  I  fear  he  will  not  stop  here." 
And  added,  "  I  command  thee,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  to  tell  if  thou  hast  commission  to  torment  any 
other  soul."    It  was  immediately  answered,  "  I  have. 

L  y  C  r  and  S  h  J  s."     (Two  who 

lived  at  some  distance,  and  were  then  in  perfect 
health.) 

We  betook  ourselves  to  prayer  again  ;  and  ceased  not 


Oct.  1739    "YONDER  COMES  WESLEY"  67 

till  she  began,  about  six  o'clock,  with  a  clear  voice  and 
composed,  cheerful  look : 

"Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 

Sun.  28. — I  preached  once  more  at  Bradford,  at  one 
in  the  afternoon.  The  violent  rains  did  not  hinder 
more,  I  believe,  than  ten  thousand  from  earnestly 
attending  to  what  I  spoke  on  those  solemn  words  :  "I 
take  you  to  record  this  day  that  I  am  pure  from  the 
blood  of  all  men.  For  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare 
unto  you  all  the  counsel  of  God." 

Returning  in  the  evening,  I  called  at  Mis.  J  's,  in 

Kingswood.    S  h  J  s  and  L  y  C  r  were 

there.  It  was  scarce  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  L  y 

C  r  fell  into  a  strange  agony ;  and  presently  after, 

S  h  J  s.    The  violent  convulsions  all  over  their 

bodies  were  such  as  words  cannot  describe.  Their  cries 
and  groans  were  too  horrid  to  be  borne,  till  one  of  them, 
in  a  tone  not  to  be  expressed,  said  :  "  Where  is  your  faith 
now?  Come,  go  to  prayers.  I  will  pray  with  you. 
•  Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven.' "  We  took  the 
advice,  from  whomsoever  it  came,  and  poured  out  our 

souls  before  God,  till  L  y  C  r's  agonies  so 

increased,  that  it  seemed  she  was  in  the  pangs  of  death. 
But  in  a  moment  God  spoke  :  she  knew  his  voice ;  and 
both  her  body  and  soul  were  healed. 

We  continued  in  prayer  till  near  one,  when  S  h 

J  's  voice  was  also  changed,  and  she  began  strongly 

to  call  upon  God.  This  she  did  for  the  greatest  part  of 
the  night.  In  the  morning  we  renewed  our  prayers, 
while  she  was  crying  continually,  "  I  burn  !  I  burn  !  O 
what  shall  I  do  ?  I  have  a  fire  within  me.  I  cannot 
bear  it.  Lord  Jesus  !  Help  !  " — Amen,  Lord  Jesus  ! 
when  thy  time  is  come. 


68 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Nov.  1739 


Tues.  Nov.  27. — I  writ  Mr.  D.  (according  to  his 
request)  a  short  account  of  what  had  been  done  in 
Kingswood,  and  of  our  present  undertalcing  there.  The 
account  was  as  follows  : 

"  Few  persons  have  lived  long  in  the  west  of  England 
who  have  not  heard  of  the  colliers  of  Kingswood;  a 
people  famous,  from  the  beginning  hitherto,  for  neither 
fearing  God  nor  regarding  man :  so  ignorant  of  the 
things  of  God,  that  they  seemed  but  one  remove  from 
the  beasts  that  perish ;  and  therefore  utterly  without 
desire  of  instruction,  as  well  as  without  the  means  of  it. 

The  Colliers  of  Kingswood 
"Many  last  winter  used  tauntingly  to  say  of  Mr. 
Whitefield,  '  If  he  will  convert  heathens,  why  does  not 
he  go  to  the  colHers  of  Kingswood  ? '  In  spring  he  did 
so.  And  as  there  were  thousands  who  resorted  to  no 
place  of  public  worship,  he  went  after  them  into  their 
own  wilderness,  '  to  seek  and  save  that  which  was  lost.' 
When  he  was  called  away  others  went  into  '  the  high- 
ways and  hedges,  to  compel  them  to  come  in.'  And,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  their  labour  was  not  in  vain.  The 
scene  is  already  changed.  Kingswood  does  not  now,  as 
a  year  ago,  resound  with  cursing  and  blasphemy.  It  is 
no  more  filled  with  drunkenness  and  uncleanness,  and 
the  idle  diversions  that  naturally  lead  thereto.  It  is  no 
longer  full  of  wars  and  fightings,  of  clamour  and  bitter- 
ness, of  wrath  and  envyings.  Peace  and  love  are  there. 
Great  numbers  of  the  people  are  mild,  gentle,  and  easy 
to  be  entreated.  They  »  do  not  cry,  neither  strive ' ;  and 
hardly  is  their  '  voice  heard  in  the  streets  or,  indeed,  in 
their  own  wood ;  unless  when  they  are  at  their  usual 
evening  diversion — singing  praise  unto  God  their 
Saviour. 


Jan.  1740    WESLEY'S  CORRESPONDENTS  69 

"  That  their  children  too  might  know  the  things 
which  make  for  their  peace,  it  was  some  time  since 
proposed  to  build  a  house  in  Kingswood;  and  after 
many  foreseen  and  unforeseen  difficulties,  in  June  last 
the  foundation  was  laid.  The  ground  made  choice  of 
was  in  the  middle  of  the  wood,  between  the  London 
and  Bath  roads,  not  far  from  that  called  Two  Mile  Hill, 
about  three  measured  miles  from  Bristol. 

"  Here  a  large  room  was  begun  for  the  school,  having 
four  small  rooms  at  either  end  for  the  schoolmasters 
(and,  perhaps,  if  it  should  please  God,  some  poor 
children)  to  lodge  in.  Two  persons  are  ready  to  teach, 
so  soon  as  the  house  is  fit  to  receive  them,  the  shell  of 
which  is  nearly  finished ;  so  that  it  is  hoped  the  whole 
will  be  completed  in  spring  or  early  in  the  summer. 

"  It  is  true,  although  the  masters  require  no  pay,  yet 
this  undertaking  is  attended  with  great  expense." 

Wesley's  Correspondents 
1740.  Thur.  Jan.  3. — I  left  London,  and  the  next 
evening  came  to  Oxford,  where  I  spent  the  two  following 
days  in  looking  over  the  letters  which  I  had  received  for 
the  sixteen  or  eighteen  years  last  past.  How  few  traces 
of  inward  religion  are  here!  I  found  but  one  among 
all  my  correspondents  who  declared  (what  I  well  re- 
member, at  that  time  I  knew  not  how  to  understand), 
that  God  had  "  shed  abroad  his  love  in  his  heart,"  and 
given  him  the  "  peace  that  passeth  all  understanding." 
But  who  believed  his  report  ?  Should  I  conceal  a  sad 
truth,  or  declare  it  for  the  profit  of  others  ?  Ht;  was 
expelled  out  of  his  society,  as  a  madman ;  and,  being 
disowned  by  his  friends,  and  despised  and  forsaken  of 
all  men,  lived  obscure  and  unknown  for  a  few  months, 
j^nd  then  went  to  Him  whom  his  soul  loved. 


70  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        April  I7/^a 

Mon.  21. — I  preached  at  Hannam,  four  miles  from 
Bristol.  In  the  evening  I  made  a  collection  in  our  con- 
gregation for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  without  Lawford's 
gate ;  who,  having  no  work  (because  of  the  severe  frost), 
and  no  assistance  from  the  parish  wherein  they  lived, 
were  reduced  to  the  last  extremity.  I  made  another  col- 
lection on  Thursday ;  and  a  third  on  Sunday ;  by  which 
we  were  enabled  to  feed  a  hundred,  sometimes  a  hundred 
and  fifty,  a  day,  of  those  whom  we  found  to  need  it 
most 

A  Sermon  and  a  Riot 

Tues.  April  i  (Bristol). — While  I  was  expounding 
the  former  part  of  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  the  Acts 
(how  wonderfully  suited  to  the  occasion !  though  not  by 
my  choice),  the  floods  began  to  lift  up  their  voice.  Some 
or  other  of  the  children  of  Belial  had  laboured  to  disturb 
us  several  nights  before :  but  now  it  seemed  as  if  all  the 
host  ot  the  aliens  were  come  together  with  one  consent. 
Not  only  the  court  and  the  alleys,  but  all  the  street, 
upwards  and  downwards,  was  filled  with  people,  shouting, 
cursing  and  swearing,  and  ready  to  swallow  the  ground 
with  fierceness  and  rage.  The  mayor  sent  order  that 
they  should  disperse.  But  they  set  him  at  nought. 
The  chief  constable  came  next  in  person,  who  was,  till 
then,  sufficiently  prejudiced  against  us.  But  they  in- 
sulted him  also  in  so  gross  a  manner,  as  I  believe  fully 
opened  his  eyes.  At  length  the  mayor  sent  several  of 
his  officers,  who  took  the  ringleaders  into  custody,  and 
did  not  go  till  all  the  rest  were  dispersed.  Surely  he 
hath  been  to  us  "  the  minister  of  God  for  good." 

Wed.  2. — The  rioters  were  brought  up  to  the  court, 
the  quarter  sessions  being  held  that  day.  They  began 
to  excuse  themselves  by  saying  many  things  of  me.  But 


Sept.  1740     PREACHING  INCIDENTS  7l 

the  mayor  cut  them  all  short,  saying,  "  What  Mr.  Wesley 
is,  is  nothing  to  you.  I  will  keep  the  peace;  I  will  have 
no  rioting  in  this  city." 

Calling  at  Newgate  in  the  afternoon,  I  was  informed 
that  the  poor  wretches  under  sentence  of  death  were 
earnestly  desirous  to  speak  with  me ;  but  that  it  could 
not  be ;  Alderman  Beecher  having  just  then  sent  an 
express  order  that  they  should  not.  I  cite  Alderman 
Beecher  to  answer  for  these  souls  at  the  judgment-seat 
of  Christ. 

Sun.  Sept.  14  (London). — As  I  returned  home  in 
the  evening,  I  had  no  sooner  stepped  out  of  the  coach 
than  the  mob,  who  were  gathered  in  great  numbers 
about  my  door,  quite  closed  me  in.  I  rejoiced  and 
blessed  God,  knowing  this  was  the  time  I  had  long  been 
looking  for ;  and  immediately  spake  to  those  that  were 
next  me  of  "  righteousness,  and  judgment  to  come."  At 
first  not  many  heard,  the  noise  round  about  us  being 
exceeding  great.  But  the  silence  spread  farther  and 
farther,  till  I  had  a  quiet,  attentive  congregation ;  and 
when  I  left  them,  they  all  showed  much  love,  and  dis- 
missed me  with  many  blessings. 

Pi-eaching  Incidents 

Sun.  28. — I  began  expounding  the  sermon  on  the 
mount,  at  London.  In  the  afternoon  I  described  to  a 
numerous  congregation  at  Kennington,  the  life  of  God 
in  the  soul.  One  person  who  stood  on  the  mount 
made  a  httle  noise  at  first ;  but  a  gentleman,  whom  I 
knew  not,  walked  up  to  him,  and,  without  saying  one 
word,  mildly  took  him  by  the  hand  and  led  him  down. 
From  that  time  he  was  quiet  till  he  went  away. 

When  I  came  home  I  found  an  innumerable  mob 
round  the  door,  who  opened   all  their  tiuroats  the 


72  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Nov.  174.0 

moment  they  saw  me.  I  desired  my  friends  to  go  into 
the  house;  and  then  walking  into  the  midst  of  the 
people,  proclaimed,  "  the  name  of  the  Lord,  gracious 
and  merciful,  and  repenting  him  of  the  evil."  They 
stood  staring  orfe  at  another.  I  told  them  they  could 
not  flee  from  the  face  of  this  great  God  :  and  therefore 
besought  them,  that  we  might  all  join  together  in  crying 
to  Him  for  mercy.  To  this  they  readily  agreed  :  I  then 
commended  them  to  his  grace,  and  went  undisturbed  to 
the  little  company  within. 

Tues.  30. — As  I  was  expounding  the  twelfth  of  the 
Acts,  a  young  man,  with  some  others,  rushed  in,  cursing 
and  swearing  vehemently;  and  so  disturbed  all  near 
him,  that,  after  a  time,  they  put  him  out.  I  observed  it, 
and  called  to  let  him  come  in,  that  our  Lord  might  bid 
his  chains  fall  off.  As  soon  as  the  sermon  was  over,  he 
came  and  declared  before  us  all  that  he  was  a  smuggler, 
then  going  on  that  work ;  as  his  disguise,  and  the  great 
bag  he  had  with  him,  showed.  But  he  said,  he  must 
never  do  this  more;  for  he  was  now  resolved  to  have 
the  Lord  for  his  God. 

Wesley's  Labour  Colony 

Tues.  Nov.  25  (London). — After  several  methods  pro- 
posed for  employing  those  who  were  out  of  business,  we 
determined  to  make  a  trial  of  one  which  several  of  our 
brethren  recommended  to  us.  Our  aim  was,  with  as 
little  expense  as  possible,  to  keep  them  at  once  from 
want  and  from  idleness,  in  order  to  which,  we  took 
twelve  of  the  poorest,  and  a  teacher,  into  the  society- 
room,  where  they  were  employed  for  four  months,  till 
spring  came  on,  in  carding  and  spinning  of  cotton.  And 
the  design  answered  :  they  were  employed  and  maintained 
with  very  Httle  more  than  the  produce  of  their  own  labour. 


March  1741  DISPUTE  WITH  WHITEFIELD  73 

Fri.  28. — A  gentleman  came  to  me  full  of  good-will, 
to  exhort  me  not  to  leave  the  Church  ;  or  (which  was 
the  same  thing  in  his  account)  to  use  extemporary 
prayer;  which,  said  he,  "  I  will  prove  to  a  demonstration 
to  be  no  prayer  at  all.  For  you  cannot  do  two  things 
at  once.  But  thinking  how  to  pray,  and  praying,  are 
two  things.  Ergo^  you  cannot  both  think  and  pray  at 
once."  Now,  may  it  not  be  proved  by  the  self-same 
demonstration,  that  praying  by  a  form  is  no  prayer  at  all  ? 
e.g.  "  You  cannot  do  two  things  at  once.  But  reading 
and  praying  are  two  things.  Ergo.,  you  cannot  both 
read  and  pray  at  once."  Q.E.D. 

Dispute  with  Whitefield 

1 741.  Sun.  Feb.  i. — A  private  letter,  wrote  to  me 
by  Mr.  Whitefield,  having  been  printed  without  either 
his  leave  or  mine,  great  numbers  of  copies  were  given 
to  our  people,  both  at  the  door  and  in  the  Foundery 
itself.  Having  procured  one  of  them,  I  related  (after 
preaching)  the  naked  fact  to  the  congregation,  and  told 
them,  "  I  will  do  just  what  I  believe  Mr.  Whitefield 
would,  were  he  here  himself."  Upon  which  I  tore  it  in 
pieces  before  them  all.  Every  one  who  had  received  it, 
did  the  same.  So  that  in  two  minutes  there  was  not  a 
whole  copy  left. 

Sat.  March  28. — Having  heard  much  of  Mr.  White- 
field's  unkind  behaviour,  since  his  return  from  Georgia, 
I  went  to  him  to  hear  him  speak  for  himself,  that  I 
might  know  how  to  judge.  I  much  approved  of  his 
plainness  of  speech.  He  told  me,  he  and  I  preached 
two  different  gospels ;  and  therefore  he  not  only  would 
not  join  with,  or  give  me  the  right  hand  of  fellowship, 
but  was  resolved  publicly  to  preach  against  me  and  my 
brother,  wheresoever  he  preached  at  all.    Mr.  Hall  (who 


74  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1 741 

went  with  me)  put  him  in  mind  of  the  promise  he  had 
made  but  a  few  days  before,  that,  whatever  his  private 
opinion  was,  he  would  never  publicly  preach  against  us. 
He  said,  that  promise  was  only  an  effect  of  human 
weakness,  and  he  was  now  of  another  mind. 

Mon.  April  6.— I  had  a  long  conversation  with  Peter 
Bohler.  I  marvel  how  I  refrain  from  joining  these  men. 
I  scarce  ever  see  any  of  them  but  my  heart  burns  within 
me.  I  long  to  be  with  them ;  and  yet  I  am  kept  from 
them. 

Thur.  May  7. — I  reminded  the  United  Society  that 
many  of  our  brethren  and  sisters  had  not  needful  food ; 
many  were  destitute  of  convenient  clothing;  many  were 
out  of  business,  and  that  without  their  own  fault ;  and 
many  sick  and  ready  to  perish :  that  I  had  done  what  in 
me  lay  to  feed  the  hungry,  to  clothe  the  naked,  to 
employ  the  poor,  and  to  visit  the  sick ;  but  was  not, 
alone,  sufficient  for  these  things ;  and  therefore  desired 
all  whose  hearts  were  as  my  heart : 

1.  To  bring  what  clothes  each  could  spare  to  be 
distributed  among  those  that  wanted  most. 

2.  To  give  weekly  a  penny,  or  what  they  could  afford, 
for  the  relief  of  the  poor  and  sick. 

My  design,  I  told  them,  is  to  employ  for  the  present 
all  the  women  who  are  out  of  business,  and  desire  it,  in 
knitting. 

To  these  we  will  first  give  the  common  price  for  what 
work  they  do ;  and  then  add,  according  as  they  need. 

Twelve  persons  are  appointed  to  inspect  these,  and  to 
visit  and  provide  things  needful  for  the  sick. 

Each  of  these  is  to  visit  all  the  sick  within  their 
district  every  other  day;  and  to  meet  on  Tuesday 
evening,  to  give  an  account  of  what  they  have  done,  and 
consult  what  can  be  done  farther. 


June  1741         WESLEY  EXPERIMENTS 


75 


Fri.  8. — I  found  myself  much  out  of  order.  However, 
I  made  shift  to  preach  in  the  evening :  but  on  Saturday 
my  bodily  strength  quite  failed,  so  that  for  several  hours 
I  could  scarce  lift  up  my  head.  Sunday,  10.  I  was 
obliged  to  lie  down  most  part  of  the  day,  being  easy 
only  in  that  posture.  Yet  in  the  evening  my  weakness 
was  suspended,  while  I  was  calling  sinners  to  repentance. 
But  at  our  love-feast  which  followed,  beside  the  pain  in 
my  back  and  head,  and  the  fever  which  still  continued 
upon  me,  just  as  I  began  to  pray,  I  was  seized  with  such 
a  cough,  that  I  could  hardly  speak.  At  the  same  time 
came  strongly  into  my  mind,  "These  signs  shall  follow 
them  that  believe."  I  called  on  Jesus  aloud,  to 
"increase  my  faith,"  and  to  "confirm  the  word  of  his 
grace."  While  I  was  speaking  my  pain  vanished  away ; 
the  fever  left  me ;  my  bodily  strength  returned  j  and  for 
many  weeks  I  felt  neither  weakness  nor  pain.  "  Unto 
thee,  O  Lord,  do  I  give  thanks." 

Wesley  at  Northampton  and  Nottingham 
Mon.  June  8. — I  set  out  from  Enfield  Chace  for 
Leicestershire.  In  the  evening  we  came  to  Northampton  : 
and  the  next  afternoon  to  Mr.  Elhs's  at  Markfield,  five 
or  six  miles  beyond  Leicester. 

For  these  two  days  I  had  made  an  experiment  which 
I  had  been  so  often  and  earnestly  pressed  to  do — speaking 
to  none  concerning  the  things  of  God,  unless  my  heart 
was  free  to  it.  And  what  was  the  event?  Why,  i. 
That  I  spoke  to  none  at  all  for  fourscore  miles  together ; 
no,  not  even  to  him  that  travelled  with  me  in  the  chaise, 
unless  a  few  words  at  first  setting  out.  2.  That  I  had 
no  cross  either  to  bear  or  to  take  up,  and  commonly,  in 
an  hour  or  two,  fell  fast  asleep.  3.  That  I  had  much 
respect  shown  me  wherever  I  came ;  every  one  behaving 


76  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1741 

to  me,  as  to  a  civil,  good-natured  gentleman.  O  how 
pleasing  is  all  this  to  flesh  and  blood  1  Need  ye 
"  compass  sea  and  land "  to  make  "  proselytes "  to 
this  ? 

Sun.  14. — I  rode  to  Nottingham,  and  at  eight 
preached  at  the  market  place,  to  an  immense  multitude 
of  people,  on,  "The  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God ;  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  I  saw  only  one 
or  two  who  behaved  lightly,  whom  I  immediately  spoke 
to ;  and  they  stood  reproved.  Yet,  soon  after,  a  man 
behind  me  began  aloud  to  contradict  and  blaspheme;  but 
upon  my  turning  to  him,  he  stepped  behind  a  pillar,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  disappeared. 

In  the  afternoon  we  returned  to  Markfield.  The  church 
was  so  excessive  hot  (being  crowded  in  every  corner),  that 
I  could  not,  without  difficulty,  read  the  evening  service. 
Being  afterwards  informed  that  abundance  of  people 
were  still  without,  who  could  not  possibly  get  into  the 
church,  I  went  out  to  them,  and  explained  that  great 
promise  of  our  Lord,  "  I  will  heal  their  backslidings  :  I 
will  love  them  freely."  In  the  evening  I  expounded  in 
the  church,  on  her  who  "  loved  much,  because  she  had 
much  forgiven." 

Mon.  15. — I  set  out  for  London,  and  read  over  in 
the  way  that  celebrated  book,  Martin  Luther's  "  Com- 
ment on  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians."  I  was  utterly 
ashamed.  How  have  I  esteemed  this  book,  only  because 
I  heard  it  so  commended  by  others  ;  or,  at  best,  because 
I  had  read  some  excellent  sentences  occasionally  quoted 
from  it!  But  what  shall  I  say,  now  I  judge  for  myself? 
now  I  see  with  my  own  eyes  ?  Why,  not  only  that  the 
author  makes  nothing  out,  clears  up  not  one  consider- 
/  able  difficulty;  that  he  is  quite  shallow  in  his  remarks 
on  many  passages,  and  muddy  and  confused  almost  on 


Alg.  1 741  AN  OX  IN  THE  CONGREGATION  77 


all;  but  that  he  is  deeply  tinctured  with  mysticism 
throughout,  and  hence  often  dangerously  wrong. 

An  Ox  in  the  Congregation 
Fri.  July  10. — I  rode  to  London,  and  preached  at 
Short's  Gardens,  on,  "  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Nazareth."  Sunday  12.  While  I  was  showing,  at 
Charles'  Square,  what  it  is  "  to  do  justly,  to  love  mercy, 
and  to  walk  humbly  with  our  God,"  a  great  shout  began. 
Many  of  the  rabble  had  brought  an  ox,  which  they  were 
vehemently  labouring  to  drive  in  among  the  people.  But 
their  labour  was  in  vain ;  for  in  spite  of  them  all,  he  ran 
round  and  round,  one  way  and  the  other,  and  at  length 
broke  through  the  midst  of  them  clear  away,  leaving  us 
calmly  rejoicing  and  praising  God. 

Sat.  25  (Oxford). — It  being  my  turn  (which  comes 
about  once  in  three  years),  I  preached  at  St.  Mary's, 
before  the  University.  The  harvest  truly  is  plenteous. 
So  numerous  a  congregation  (from  whatever  motives 
they  came)  I  have  seldom  seen  at  Oxford.  My  text 
was  the  confession  of  poor  Agrippa,  "  Almost  thou 
persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian."  I  have  "  cast  my 
bread  upon  the  waters."  Let  me  "  find  it  again  after 
many  days !  " 

Wed.  Aug.  26  (London). — I  was  informed  of  a  re- 
markable conversation,  at  which  one  of  our  sisters  was 
present  a  day  or  two  before ;  wherein  a  gentleman  was 
assuring  his  friends,  that  he  himself  was  in  Charles 
Square,  when  a  person  told  Mr.  Wesley  to  his  face,  that 
he,  Mr.  Wesley,  had  paid  twenty  pounds  already,  on 
being  convicted  for  selling  Geneva;  and  that  he  now 
kept  two  Popish  priests  in  his  house.  This  gave  occasion 
to  another  to  mention  what  he  had  himself  heard,  at  an 
ftminent  Dissenting  teacher's,  viz.,  that  it  was  beyond 


18  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  17+1 

dispute,  Mr.  Wesley  had  large  remittances  from  Spain, 
in  order  to  make  a  party  among  the  poor ;  and  that  as 
soon  as  the  Spaniards  landed,  he  was  to  join  them  with 
twenty  thousand  men. 

Wesley  at  Cardiff 
Thur.  Oct.  T. — We  set  out  for  Wales;  but  missing 
our  passage  over  the  Severn  in  the  morning,  it  was  sun- 
set before  we  could  get  to  Newport.  We  inquired  there 
if  we  could  hire  a  guide  to  Cardiff ;  but  there  was  none 
to  be  had.  A  lad  coming  in  quickly  after,  who  was  going 
(he  said)  to  Lanissan,  a  little  village  two  miles  to  the  right 
of  Cardiff,  we  resolved  to  go  thither.  At  seven  we  set 
out :  it  rained  pretty  fast,  and  there  being  neither  moon 
nor  stars,  we  could  neither  see  any  road,  nor  one  another, 
nor  our  own  horses'  heads ;  but  the  promise  of  God 
did  not  fail ;  he  gave  his  angels  charge  over  us ;  and 
soon  after  ten  we  came  safe  to  Mr.  Williams's  house  at 
Lanissan. 

Fri.  2. — We  rode  to  Fonmon  castle.  We  found  Mr. 
Jones's  daughter  ill  of  the  small-pox;  but  he  could 
cheerfully  leave  her  and  all  the  rest  in  the  hands  of  Him 
in  whom  he  now  believed.  In  the  evening  I  preached  at 
Cardiff,  in  the  shire-hall,  a  large  and  convenient  place, 
on,  "  God  hath  given  unto  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is 
in  his  Son."  There  having  been  a  feast  in  the  town 
that  day,  I  believed  it  needful  to  add  a  few  words  upon 
imtemperance :  and  while  I  was  saying,  "  As  for  you, 
drunkards,  you  have  no  part  in  this  life  ;  you  abide  in 
death ;  you  choose  death  and  hell " ;  a  man  cried  out 
vehemently,  "  I  am  one ;  and  thither  I  am  going."  But 
I  trust  God  at  that  hour  began  to  show  him  and  others 
"a  more  excellent  way." 


Dec.  1 741    A  CURIOUS  INTERRUPTION  79 

Sun.  Nov.  22  (Bristol). — Being  not  suffered  to  go  to 
ctiurch  as  yet  [after  a  serious  fever],  I  communicated  at 
home.  I  was  advised  to  stay  at  home  some  time  longer ; 
but  I  could  not  apprehend  it  necessary  :  and  therefore,  on 
Monday,  23,  went  to  the  new  room,  where  we  praised  God 
for  all  his  mercies.  And  I  expounded,  for  about  an 
hour  (without  any  faintness  or  weariness),  on,  "  What 
reward  shall  I  give  upon  the  Lord  for  all  the  benefits  that 
he  hath  done  unto  me  ?  I  will  receive  the  cup  of  salva- 
tion, and  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

I  preached  once  every  day  this  week,  and  found  no 
inconvenience  by  it.  Sunday,  29.  I  thought  I  might 
go  a  little  farther.  So  I  preached  both  at  Kingswood 
and  at  Bristol;  and  afterwards  spent  near  an  hour  with 
the  society,  and  about  two  hours  at  the  love-feast.  But 
my  body  could  not  yet  keep  pace  with  my  mind.  I  had 
another  fit  of  my  fever  the  next  day;  but  it  lasted 
not  long,  and  I  continued  slowly  to  regain  my  strength. 

A  Curious  Interfuption 

Mon.  Dec  7. — I  preached  on,  "Trust  ye  in  the 
Lord  Jehovah ;  for  in  the  Lord  is  everlasting  strength." 
I  was  showing,  what  cause  we  had  to  trust  in  the  Captain 
of  our  salvation,  when  one  in  the  midst  of  the  room 
cried  out,  "  Who  was  your  captain  the  other  day,  when 
you  hanged  yourself  ?  I  know  the  man  who  saw  you 
when  you  was  cut  down."  This  wise  story,  it  seems,  had 
been  diligently  spread  abroad,  and  cordially  believed  by 
many  in  Bristol.  I  desired  they  would  make  room  for 
the  man  to  come  nearer.  But  the  moment  he  saw  the 
way  open,  he  ran  away  with  all  possible  speed,  not  so 
much  as  once  looking  behind  him. 

Sat.  12 — In  the  evening  one  desired  to  speak  with 
me.    I  perceived  him  to  be  in  the  utmost  confusion,  so 


80  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  1742 

that  for  awhile  he  could  not  speak.  At  length,  he  said, 
"  I  am  he  that  interrupted  you  at  the  new  room,  on 
Monday.  I  have  had  no  rest  since,  day  or  night,  nor 
could  have  till  I  had  spoken  to  you.  I  hope  you  will 
forgive  me,  and  that  it  will  be  a  warning  to  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life." 

Wesley's  Congregation  Stoned 
1742.  Mon.  Jan.  25  (London). — While  I  was  ex- 
plaining at  Long  Lane,  "  He  that  committeth  sin  is  of 
the  devil  "  ;  his  servants  were  above  measure  enraged  : 
they  not  only  made  all  possible  noise  (although,  as  I  had 
desired  before,  no  man  stirred  from  his  place,  or  an- 
swered them  a  word) ;  but  violently  thrust  many  persons 
to  and  fro,  struck  others,  and  break  down  part  of  the 
house.  At  length  they  began  throwing  large  stones 
upon  the  house,  which,  forcing  their  way  wherever  they 
came,  fell  down,  together  with  the  tiles,  among  the 
people,  so  that  they  were  in  danger  of  their  lives.  I 
then  told  them,  "  You  must  not  go  on  thus ;  I  am 
ordered  by  the  magistrate,  who  is,  in  this  respect,  to  us 
the  minister  of  God,  to  inform  him  of  those  who  break 
the  laws  of  God  and  the  King :  and  I  must  do  it  if  you 
persist  herein ;  otherwise  I  am  a  partaker  of  your  sin." 

When  I  ceased  speaking  they  were  more  outrageous 
than  before.  Upon  this  I  said,  "  Let  three  or  four 
calm  men  take  hold  of  the  foremost,  and  charge  a  con- 
stable with  him,  that  the  law  may  take  its  course."  They 
did  so,  and  brought  him  into  the  house,  cursing  and 
blaspheming  in  a  dreadful  manner.  I  desired  five  or 
six  to  go  with  him  to  Justice  Copeland,  to  whom  they 
nakedly  related  the  fact.  The  justice  immediately 
bound  him  over  to  the  next  sessions  at  Guildford. 
I  observed  when  the  man  was  brought  into  the  house, 


Feb.  1742     CONGREGATION  STONED  81 


that  many  of  his  companions  were  loudly  crying  out, 
"  Richard  Smith,  Richard  Smith ! "  who,  as  it  after- 
wards appeared,  was  one  of  their  stoutest  champions. 
But  Richard  Smith  answered  not ;  he  was  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  One  higher  than  they.  God  had  struck 
him  to  the  heart;  as  also  a  woman,  who  was  speaking 
words  not  fit  to  be  repeated,  and  throwing  whatever 
came  to  hand,  whom  He  overtook  in  the  very  act.  She 
came  into  the  house  with  Richard  Smith,  fell  upon  her 
knees  before  us  all,  and  strongly  exhorted  him,  never  to 
turn  back,  never  to  forget  the  mercy  which  God  had 
shown  to  his  soul.  From  this  time  we  had  never  any 
considerable  interruption  or  disturbance  at  Long  Lane  ; 
although  we  withdrew  our  persecution,  upon  the  offender's 
submission  and  promise  of  better  behaviour, 

Tues.  26 — I  explained  at  Chelsea  the  faith  which 
worketh  by  love.  I  was  very  weak  when  I  went  into 
the  room ;  but  the  more  "  the  beasts  of  the  people  "  in- 
creased in  madness  and  rage,  the  more  was  I  strengthened, 
both  in  body  and  soul ;  so  that  I  believe  few  in  the  house, 
which  was  exceeding  full,  lost  one  sentence  of  what  I 
spoke.  Indeed  they  could  not  see  me,  nor  one  another 
at  a  few  yards  distance,  by  reason  of  the  exceeding  thick 
smoke,  which  was  occasioned  by  the  wild-fire,  and  things 
of  that  kind,  continually  thrown  into  the  room.  But 
they  who  could  praise  God  in  the  midst  of  the  fires  were 
not  to  be  affrighted  by  a  little  smoke. 

Mon.  Feb.  15. — Many  met  together  to  consult  on  a 
proper  method  for  discharging  the  public  debt ;  and  it 
was  at  length  agreed,  i.  That  every  member  of  the 
society,  who  was  able,  should  contribute  a  penny  a  week. 
•2.  That  the  whole  society  should  be  divided  into  little 
companies  or  classes — about  twelve  in  each  class.  And 
3.  That  one  person  in  each  class  should  receive  the 

F 


82 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Mar.  1742 


contribution  of  the  rest,  and  bring  it  in  to  the  Stewards, 
weekly. 

Fri.  March  10. — I  rode  once  more  to  Pensford  at 
the  earnest  request  of  several  serious  people.  The  place 
where  they  desired  me  to  preach  was  a  little  green  spot, 
near  the  town.  But  I  had  no  sooner  begun  than  a  great 
company  of  rabble,  hired  (as  we  afterwards  found)  for 
that  purpose,  came  furiously  upon  us,  bringing  a  bull, 
which  they  had  been  baiting,  and  now  strove  to  drive  in 
among  the  people.  But  the  beast  was  wsei  than  his 
drivers ;  and  continually  ran  either  on  one  side  of  us  or 
the  other,  while  we  quietly  sang  praise  to  God,  and 
prayed  for  about  an  hour.  The  poor  wretches,  finding 
themselves  disappointed,  at  length  seized  upon  the  bull, 
now  weak  and  tired,  after  having  been  so  long  torn  and 
beaten  both  by  dogs  and  men ;  and,  by  main  strength, 
partly  dragged,  and  partly  thrust,  him  in  among  the 
people. 

A  Bull  in  the  Congregation 
When  they  had  forced  their  way  to  the  little  table  on 
which  I  stood,  they  strove  several  times  to  throw  it  down, 
by  thrusting  the  helpless  beast  against  it,  who,  of  him- 
self, stirred  no  more  than  a  log  of  wood.  I  once  or 
twice  put  aside  his  head  with  my  hand,  that  the  blood 
might  not  drop  upon  my  clothes ;  intending  to  go  on  as 
soon  as  the  hurry  should  be  a  Uttle  over.  But  the  table 
falling  down,  some  of  our  friends  caught  me  in  their 
arms,  and  carried  me  right  away  on  their  shoulders ;  while 
the  rabble  wreaked  their  vengeance  on  the  table,  which 
they  tore  bit  from  bit.  We  went  a  little  way  off,  where  I 
finished  my  discourse,  without  any  noise  or  interruption. 

Sun.  21. — In  the  evening  I  rode  to  Marshfield,  and 
on  Tuesday,  in  the  afternoon,  came  to  London.  Wed- 


May  1742        FIRST  WATCH  NIGHT 


83 


nesday,  24.  I  preached  for  the  last  time  in  the  French 
chapel  at  Wapping,  on  "If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then 
are  ye  my  disciples  indeed." 

Thur.  25. — I  appointed  several  earnest  and  sensible 
men  to  meet  me,  to  whom  I  showed  the  great  difficulty 
I  had  long  found  of  knowing  the  people  who  desired  to 
be  under  my  care.  After  much  discourse,  they  all 
agreed,  there  could  be  no  better  way  to  come  to  a  sure, 
thorough  knowledge  of  each  person,  than  to  divide  them 
into  classes,  hke  those  at  Bristol,  under  the  inspection  of 
those  in  whom  I  could  most  confide.  This  was  the  origin 
of  our  classes  at  London,  for  which  I  can  never  sufficiently 
praise  God ;  the  unspeakable  usefulness  of  the  institu- 
tion having  ever  since  been  more  and  more  manifest. 

Fri.  April  9. — We  had  the  first  watch-night  in  London. 
We  commonly  choose  for  this  solemn  service  the  Friday 
night  nearest  the  full  moon,  either  before  or  after,  that 
those  of  the  congregation  who  live  at  a  distance,  may 
have  light  to  their  several  homes.  The  service  begins 
at  half  an  hour  past  eight,  and  continues  till  a  little  after 
midnight.  We  have  often  found  a  peculiar  blessing  at 
these  seasons.  There  is  generally  a  deep  awe  upon  the 
congregation,  perhaps  in  some  measure  owing  to  the 
silence  of  the  night,  particularly  in  singinof  the  hymn 
with  which  we  commonly  conclude  : 

"  Hearken  to  the  solemn  voice. 
The  awful  midnight  cry  I 
Waiting  souls,  rejoice,  rejoice, 
And  feel  the  Bridegroom  nigh." 

Sun.  May  9. — I  preached  in  Charles  Square  to  the 
largest  congregation  I  have  ever  seen  there.  Many  of 
the  baser  people  would  fain  have  interrupted,  but  they 
found,  after  a  time,  it  was  lost  labour.  One,  who  was 
more  serious,  was  (as  she  afterwards  confessed)  exceed- 


84  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1742 

ingly  angry  at  them.  But  she  was  quickly  rebuked,  by 
a  stone  which  light  upon  her  forehead,  and  struck  her 
down  to  the  ground.  In  that  moment  her  anger  was  at 
an  end,  and  love  only  filled  her  heart. 

Wed.  12. — I 'waited  on  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
with  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  again  on  Friday ;  as  also  on 
the  Bishop  of  London.  I  trust  if  we  should  be  called 
to  appear  before  princes,  we  should  not  be  ashamed. 

Wesley  Was  "the  Better  Mounted" 

Mon.  17. — I  had  designed  this  morning  to  set  out 
for  Bristol ;  but  was  unexpectedly  prevented.  In  the 
afternoon  I  received  a  letter  from  Leicestershire,  pressing 
me  to  come  without  delay,  and  pay  the  last  office  of 
friendship  to  one  whose  soul  was  on  the  wing  for  eter- 
nity. On  Thursday,  20, 1  set  out.  The  next  afternoon 
I  stopped  a  little  at  Newport-Pagnell,  and  then  rode  on 
till  I  overtook  a  serious  man,  with  whom  I  immediately 
.  fell  into  conversation. 

He  presently  gave  me  to  know  what  his  opinions 
were  :  therefore  I  said  nothing  to  contradict  them.  But 
that  did  not  content  him :  he  was  quite  uneasy  to  know 
whether  I  held  the  doctrine  of  the  decrees  as  he  did ; 
but  I  told  him  over  and  over,  "  We  had  better  keep  to 
practical  things,  lest  we  should  be  angry  at  one  another." 
And  so  we  did  for  two  miles,  till  he  caught  me  unawares, 
and  dragged  me  into  the  dispute  before  I  knew  where  I 
was.  He  then  grew  warmer  and  warmer ;  told  me  I  was 
rotten  at  heart,  and  supposed  I  was  one  of  John  Wesley's 
followers.  I  told  him,  "  No,  I  am  John  Wesley  him- 
self." Upon  which  he  would  gladly  have  run  away  out- 
right. But  being  the  better  mounted  of  the  two,  I  kept 
close  to  his  side,  and  endeavoured  to  show  him  his 
heart,  till  we  came  into  the  street  of  Northampton. 


May  174*  AT  NEWCASTLE 


85 


Thur.  27. — We  came  to  Newcastle  about  six;  and, 
after  a  short  refreshment,  walked  into  the  town.  I  was 
surprised  :  so  much  drunkenness,  cursing,  and  swearing 
(even  from  the  mouths  of  little  children),  do  I  never 
remember  to  have  seen  and  heard  before,  in  so  small  a 
compass  of  time.  Surely  this  place  is  ripe  for  Him  who 
came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repent- 
ance." 

Sun.  30. — At  seven  I  walked  down  to  Sandgate,  the 
poorest  and  most  contemptible  part  of  the  town  ;  and, 
standing  at  the  end  of  the  street  with  John  Taylor,  began 
to  sing  the  hundredth  Psalm,  Three  or  four  people 
came  out  to  see  what  was  the  matter ;  who  soon  in- 
creased to  four  or  five  hundred.  I  suppose  there  might 
be  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred,  before  I  had  done  preach- 
ing ;  to  whom  I  applied  those  solemn  words,  "  He  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  He  was  bruised  for  our 
iniquities  ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  Him ; 
and  by  His  stripes  we  are  healed." 

A  Big  Crowd  at  Newcastle 
Observing  the  people,  when  I  had  done,  to  stand 
gaping  and  staring  upon  me,  with  the  most  profound 
astonishment,  I  told  them,  "  If  you  desire  to  know  who 
I  am,  my  name  is  John  Wesley.  At  five  in  the  evening, 
with  God's  help,  I  design  to  preach  here  again." 

At  five,  the  hill  on  which  I  designed  to  preach  was 
covered,  from  the  top  to  the  bottom.  I  never  saw  so 
large  a  number  of  people  together,  either  at  Moorfields, 
or  at  Kennington  Common.  I  knew  it  was  not  possible 
for  the  one  half  to  hear,  although  my  voice  was  then 
strong  and  clear ;  and  I  stood  so  as  to  have  them  all  in 
view,  as  they  were  ranged  on  the  side  of  the  hill.  The 
word  of  God  which  I  set  before  them  was,  "  I  will  heal 


86  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1742 

their  backsliding,  I  will  love  them  freely."  After 
preaching,  the  poor  people  were  ready  to  tread  me 
under  foot,  out  of  pure  love  and  kindness.  It  was  some 
time  before  I  could  possibly  get  out  of  the  press.  I 
then  went  back  'another  way  than  I  come ;  but  several 
were  got  to  our  inn  before  me ;  by  whom  I  was 
vehemently  importuned  to  stay  with  them,  at  least,  a 
few  days ;  or,  however,  one  day  more.  But  I  could  not 
consent ;  having  given  my  word  to  be  at  Birstal,  with 
God's  leave,  on  Tuesday  night. 

"Wesley  on  his  Father's  Tombstone 
Sat.  June  5. — It  being  many  years  since  I  had  been 
in  Epworth  before,  I  went  to  an  inn,  in  the  middle  of 
the  town,  not  knowing  whether  there  were  any  left  in  it 
now  who  would  not  be  ashamed  of  my  acquaintance. 
But  an  old  servant  of  my  father's,  with  two  or  three 
poor  women,  presently  found  me  out.  I  asked  her, 
"  Do  you  know  any  in  Epworth  who  are  in  earnest  to 
be  saved  ? "  She  answered,  "  I  am,  by  the  grace  of 
God ;  and  I  know  I  am  saved  through  faith."  I  asked, 
"  Have  you  then  the  peace  of  God  ?  Do  you  know  that 
He  has  forgiven  your  sins  ?  "  She  replied,  "  I  thank 
God,  I  know  it  well.  And  many  here  can  say  the  same 
thing," 

Sun.  6. — A  little  before  the  service  began,  I  went  to 
Mr.  Romley,  the  curate,  and  oifered  to  assist  him  either 
by  preaching  or  reading  prayers.  But  he  did  not  care  to 
accept  of  my  assistance.  The  church  was  exceeding  full 
in  the  afternoon,  a  rumour  being  spread  that  I  was  to 
preach.  But  the  sermon  on,  "Que:  ch  not  the  Spirit,"  was 
not  suitable  to  the  expectation  of  many  of  the  hearers. 
Mr.  Romley  told  them,  one  of  the  most  dangerous  ways 
of  quenching  the  Spirit  was  by  enthusiasm;  and  en- 


EPWORTH  CHURCH 


WESLEY  PREACHING  ON  HIS  FATHER'S  TOMB 


Jl.v£I742    "CONVERT  THE  SCOLDS 


87 


larged  on  tiie  character  of  an  enthusiast,  in  a  very 
florid  and  oratorical  manner.  After  sermcn  JcLr. 
Taylor  stood  in  the  churchyard,  and  gave  notice,  is  tie 
people  were  coming  out,  "  3>Ir.  Wesley,  not  being  per- 
mitted to  preach  in  the  churcii,  designs  to  preach  here 
at  six  o'dock." 

Accordingly  at  six  I  came,  and  fonnd  such  a  congre- 
gation as  I  beheve  Epworth  never  saw  bef-.re.  I  stood 
near  the  east  end  of  the  church,  upon  my  ih:hers  tomb- 
stone, and  cried,  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  not  mea.: 
and  drink;  but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  jz/j  in  the 
Holy  Ghost." 

"Let  them  Convert  the  SccUs" 
Wed.  9- — I  rode  over  to  a  neighb-curing  town,  to 
wait  upon  a  justice  of  peace,  a  man  of  canco"^  ani 
understanding;  before  whom  (I  was  informeiy  their 
angry  neighbours  had  carried  a  whc4e  »aggon4oad  of 
these  new  heretics.  But  when  he  asked  what  they  had 
done,  there  vas  a  deep  silence ;  for  that  was  a  point 
their  conductors  had  forgot.  At  length  one  'wH,  «  Why, 
th^  pretended  to  be  better  than  other  people:  and 
besides,  they  prayed  &om  morning  to  night."  Mr.  S. 
asked,  "  But  have  they  done  nothing  besides  ?  "  «  Yes, 
sir,"  said  an  old  man :  "  an't  please  your  worship,  they 
have  ami  arztd  my  wife.  Till  she  went  among  them,  she 
had  such  a  tongue !  And  now  she  is  as  qui^  as  a  lamb." 
"Carry  them  back,  carry  them  back,"  replied  the 
justice,  "and  let  them  conven  all  the  scolds  in  the 
town." 

Sat.  12. — I  preached  on  the  righteousness  d  the  law 
and  the  righteousness  <rf  faith.  While  I  was  speaking, 
several  dropped  down  as  dead;  and  among  tiie  rest, 
such  a  cry  was  heard,  of  sinners  groaning  for  the 


88  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1742 

righteousness  of  faith,  as  almost  drowned  my  voice. 
But  many  of  these  soon  lifted  up  their  heads  with  joy, 
and  broke  out  into  thanksgiving ;  being  assured  they 
now  had  the  desire  of  their  soul — the  forgiveness  of 
their  sins.  ' 

I  observed  a  gentleman  there,  who  was  remarkable 
for  not  pretending  to  be  of  any  religion  at  all.  I  was 
informed  he  had  not  been  at  public  worship  of  any  kind 
for  upwards  of  thirty  years.  Seeing  him  stand  as 
motionless  as  a  statue,  I  asked  him  abruptly,  "  Sir,  are 
you  a  sinner  ?  "  He  replied,  with  a  deep  and  broken 
voice,  "  Sinner  enough  "  ;  and  continued  staring  upwards 
till  his  wife  and  a  servant  or  two,  who  were  all  in  tears, 
put  him  into  his  chaise  and  carried  him  home. 

Sun.  13. — At  seven  I  preached  at  Haxey,  on,  "What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  "  Thence  I  went  to  Wroote,  of 
which  (as  well  as  Epworth)  my  father  was  rector  for 
several  years.  Mr.  Whitelamb  offering  me  the  church,  I 
preached  in  the  morning  on,  "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
you  "  :  in  the  afternoon,  on  the  difference  between  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  and  the  righteousness  of  faith. 
But  the  church  could  not  contain  the  people,  many  of 
whom  came  from  far,  and,  I  trust,  not  in  vain. 

At  six  I  preached  for  the  last  time  in  Epworth  church- 
yard (being  to  leave  the  town  the  next  morning),  to  a 
vast  multitude  gathered  together  from  all  parts,  on  the 
beginning  of  our  Lord's  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  I  con- 
tinued among  them  for  near  three  hours,  and  yet  we 
scarce  knew  how  to  part.  O  let  none  think  his  labour 
of  love  is  lost  because  the  fruit  does  not  immediately 
appear !  Near  forty  years  did  my  father  labour  here ; 
but  he  saw  little  fruit  of  all  his  labour.  I  took  some 
pains  among  this  people  too ;  and  my  strength  also 
seemed  spent  in  vain ;  but  now  the  fruit  appeared. 


Aug.  1742    DEATH  OF  HIS  MOTHER 


89 


There  were  scarce  any  in  the  town  on  whom  either  my 
father  or  I  had  taken  any  pains  formerly  but  the  seed, 
sown  so  long  since,  now  sprung  up,  bringing  forth  re- 
pentance and  remission  of  sins. 

Death  of  Wesley's  Mother 

I  left  Bristol  in  the  evening  of  Sunday,  July  i8,  and 
on  Tuesday  came  to  London.  I  found  my  mother  on 
the  borders  of  eternity.  But  she  had  no  doubt  or  fear ; 
nor  any  desire  but  (as  soon  as  God  should  call)  "  to 
depart  and  be  with  Christ." 

Fri.  23. — About  three  in  the  afternoon  I  went  to  my 
mother,  and  found  her  change  was  near.  I  sat  down  on 
the  bed-side.  She  was  in  her  last  conflict ;  unable  to 
speak,  but  I  believe  quite  sensible.  Her  look  was  calm 
and  serene,  and  her  eyes  fixed  upward,  while  we  com- 
mended her  soul  to  God.  From  three  to  four  the  silver 
cord  was  loosing,  and  the  wheel  breaking  at  the  cistern ; 
and  then  without  any  struggle,  or  sigh,  or  groan,  the 
soul  was  set  at  liberty.  We  stood  round  the  bed,  and 
fulfilled  her  last  request,  uttered  a  little  before  she  lost 
her  speech :  "  Children,  as  soon  as  I  am  released,  sing  a 
psalm  of  praise  to  God." 

Sun.  August  I. — Almost  an  innumerable  company  of 
people  being  gathered  together,  about  five  in  the  after- 
noon, I  committed  to  the  earth  the  body  of  my  mother, 
to  sleep  with  her  fathers.  The  portion  of  Scripture 
from  which  I  afterwards  spoke  was,  "  I  saw  a  great 
white  throne,  and  Him  that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face 
the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away;  and  there  was 
found  no  place  for  them.  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small 
and  great,  stand  before  God ;  and  the  books  were 
opened  :  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things 
which  were  written  in  the  books,  according  to  their 


90  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1742 

works."  It  was  one  of  the  most  solemn  assemblies  I 
ever  saw,  or  expect  to  see  on  this  side  eternity. 

We  set  up  a  plain  stone  at  the  head  of  her  grave, 
•inscribed  with  the  following  words  : 

i^eie  lirs  tf)r  ISo^ig 

OF 

MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY, 

THE  YOUNGEST  AND  LAST  SURVIVING  DAUGHTER  Ot 
DR.  SAMUEL  ANNESLfcY. 

In  sure  and  steadfast  hope  to  rise. 
And  claim  Iier  mansion  in  the  skies, 
A  Christian  here  her  flesh  laid  down, 
The  cross  exchanging  for  a  crown. 

True  daughter  of  affliction,  she, 
Inured  to  pain  and  misery, 
Mourn'd  a  long  night  of  griefs  and  fears, 
A  legal  night  of  seventy  years. 

The  Father  then  reveal'd  his  Son, 
Him  in  the  broken  bread  made  known. 
She  knew  and  felt  her  sins  forgiven, 
And  found  the  earnest  of  her  heaven. 

Meet  for  the  fellowship  above, 
She  heard  the  call,  "  Arise,  my  love  I  * 
*'  I  come,"  her  dying  looks  replied, 
And  lamb-like,  as  her  Lord,  she  died. 

Mrs.  Wesley  as  Preacher 
I  cannot  but  further  observe,  that  even  she  (as  well  as 
her  father,  and  grandfather,  her  hubband,  and  her  three 
sons)  had  been,  in  her  measure  and  degree,  a  preacher 
of  righteousness.  This  I  learned  from  a  letter,  wrote 
long  since  to  my  father ;  part  of  which  I  have  here 
subjoined : 

February  6,  1711-12. 

"  As  I  am  a  woman,  so  I  am  also  mistress  of  a 

large  family.    And  though  the  superior  charge  of  the 


SUSANNAH  WESLEY 


Aug.  1742   MRS.  WESLEY  AS  PREACHER 


91 


souls  contained  in  it  lies  upon  you ;  yet,  in  your  absence, 
I  cannot  but  look  upon  every  soul  you  leave  under  my 
care,  as  a  talent  committed  to  me  under  a  trust,  by  the 
great  Lord  of  all  the  families  both  of  heaven  and  earth. 
And  if  I  am  unfaithful  to  him  or  you  in  neglecting  to 
improve  these  talents,  how  shall  I  answer  unto  him, 
when  he  shall  command  me  to  render  an  account  of  my 
stewardship  ? 

"  As  these,  and  other  such  like  thoughts,  made  me  at 
first  take  a  more  than  ordinary  care  of  the  souls  of  my 
children  and  servants,  so — knowing  our  religion  requires 
a  strict  observation  of  the  Lord's  day,  and  not  thinking 
that  we  fully  answered  the  end  of  the  institution  by 
going  to  church,  unless  we  filled  up  the  intermediate 
spaces  of  time  by  other  acts  of  piety  and  devotion — I 
thought  it  my  duty  to  spend  some  part  of  the  day,  in 
reading  to  and  instructing  my  family :  and  such  time  I 
esteemed  spent  in  a  way  more  acceptable  to  God,  than 
if  I  had  retired  to  my  own  private  devotions. 

"  This  was  the  beginning  of  my  present  practice. 
Other  people's  coming  and  joining  with  us  was  merely 
accidental.  Our  lad  told  his  parents  :  they  first  desired 
to  be  admitted;  then  others  that  heard  of  it  begged 
leave  also :  so  our  company  increased  to  about  thirty ; 
and  it  seldom  exceeded  forty  last  winter. 

"  But  soon  after  you  went  to  London  last,  I  light  on 
the  account  of  the  Danish  Missionaries.  I  was,  I  think, 
never  more  affected  with  anything;  I  could  not  forbear 
spending  good  part  of  that  evening  in  praising  and 
adoring  the  divhie  goodness  for  inspiring  them  with 
such  ardent  zeal  for  His  glory.  For  several  days  I 
could  think  or  speak  of  little  else.  At  last  it  came  into 
my  mind.  Though  I  am  not  a  man  nor  a  minister,  yet 
if  my  heart  were  sincerely  devoted  to  God,  and  I  was 


92  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1742 

inspired  with  a  true  zeal  for  his  glory,  I  might  do 
somewhat  more  than  I  do.  I  thought  I  might  pray 
more  for  them,  and  might  speak  to  those  with  whom  I 
converse  with  more  warmth  of  affection.  I  resolved  to 
begin  with  my 'own  children  ;  in  which  I  observe  the 
following  method  :  I  take  such  a  proportion  of  time  as  I 
can  spare  every  night  to  discourse  with  each  child  apart. 
On  Monday,  I  talk  with  Molly  ;  on  Tuesday,  with  Hetty; 
Wednesday,  with  Nancy  ;  Thursday,  with  Jacky ;  Friday, 
with  Patty ;  Saturday,  with  Charles  ;  and  with  Emily  and 
Suky  together  on  Sunday. 

She  Speaks  to  Two  Hundred 

"  With  those  few  neighbours  that  then  came  to  me,  I 
discoursed  more  freely  and  affectionately.  I  chose  the 
best  and  most  awakening  sermons  we  have.  And  I 
spent  somewhat  more  time  with  them  in  such  exercises, 
without  being  careful  about  the  success  of  my  under- 
taking. Since  this,  our  company  increased  every  night ; 
for  I  dare  deny  none  that  ask  admittance." 

"  Last  Sunday  I  believe  we  had  above  two  hundred. 
And  yet  many  went  away,  for  want  of  room  to  stand. 

"  We  banish  all  temporal  concerns  from  our  society. 
None  is  suffered  to  mingle  any  discourse  about  them 
with  our  reading  or  singing.  We  keep  close  to  the 
business  of  the  day ;  and  when  it  is  over,  all  go  home. 

«  I  cannot  conceive,  why  any  should  reflect  upon  you, 
because  your  wife  endeavours  to  draw  people  to  church, 
and  to  restrain  them  from  profaning  the  Lord's  day,  by 
reading  to  them,  and  other  persuasions.  For  my  part, 
I  value  no  censure  upon  this  account.  I  have  long 
since  shook  hands  with  the  world.  And  I  heartily 
wish,  I  had  never  given  them  more  reason  to  speak 
against  me. 


Aug.  17+2   THE  WESLEYS'  UPBRINGING  93 

"  As  to  its  looking  particular,  I  grant  it  does.  And 
so  does  almost  anything  that  is  serious,  or  that  may 
any  way  advance  the  glory  of  God,  or  the  salvation  of 
souls. 

"  As  for  your  proposal,  of  letting  some  other  person 
read  :  alas !  you  do  not  consider  what  a  people  these 
are.  I  do  not  think  one  man  among  them  could  read  a 
sermon,  without  spelling  a  good  part  of  it.  Nor  has 
any  of  our  family  a  voice  strong  enough  to  be  heard 
by  such  a  number  of  people. 

"  But  there  is  one  thing  about  which  I  am  much 
dissatisfied  ;  that  is,  their  being  present  at  family  prayers. 
I  do  not  speak  of  any  concern  I  am  under,  barely 
because  so  many  are  present ;  for  those  who  have  the 
honour  of  speaking  to  the  Great  and  Holy  God,  need 
not  be  ashamed  to  speak  before  the  whole  world  j  but 
because  of  my  sex.  I  doubt  if  it  is  proper  for  me  to 
present  the  prayers  of  the  people  to  God.  Last  Sunday 
I  would  fain  have  dismissed  them  before  prayers ;  but 
they  begged  so  earnestly  to  stay,  I  durst  not  deny  them. 

"To  THE  Rev.  Mr.  Wesley, 

"  In  Si.  Margaret's  Churchyard,  Westminster." 

How  the  Wesleys  were  Brought  up 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  entrusted,  as  she 
was,  with  the  care  of  a  numerous  family,  I  cannot  but 
add  one  letter  more,  which  I  received  many  years  ago  : 

July  24,  1732. 
"  Dear  Son, — According  to  your  desire,  I  have 
collected  the  principal  rules  I  observed  in  educating  my 
family ;  which  I  now  send  you  as  they  occurred  to  my 
mind,  and  you  may  (if  you  think  they  can  be  of  use  to 
any)  dispose  of  them  in  what  order  you  please. 


94>  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1742 

"  The  children  were  always  put  into  a  regular  method 
of  living,  in  such  things  as  they  were  capable  of,  from 
their  birth ;  as  in  dressing,  undressing,  changing  their 
linen,  &c.  The  first  quarter  commonly  passes  in  sleep. 
After  that,  the^  were,  if  possible,  laid  into  their  cradles 
awake,  and  rocked  to  sleep;  and  so  they  were  kept 
rocking,  till  it  was  time  for  them  to  awake.  This  was 
done  to  bring  them  to  a  regular  course  of  sleeping; 
which  at  first  was  three  hours  in  the  morning,  and  three 
in  the  afternoon :  afterward  two  hours,  till  they  needed 
none  at  all. 

"  When  turned  a  year  old  (and  some  before),  they 
were  taught  to  fear  the  rod,  and  to  cry  softly ;  by  which 
means  they  escaped  abundance  of  correction  they  might 
otherwise  have  had ;  and  that  most  odious  noise  of  the 
crying  of  children  was  rarely  heard  in  the  house;  but 
the  family  usually  lived  in  as  much  quietness  as  if  there 
had  not  been  a  child  among  them. 

*'  As  soon  as  they  were  grown  pretty  strong,  they  were 
confined  to  three  meals  a  day.  At  dinner  their  little 
table  and  chairs  were  set  by  ours,  where  they  could  be 
overlooked;  and  they  were  suffered  to  eat  and  drink 
(small  beer)  as  much  as  they  would;  but  not  to  call 
for  anything.  If  they  wanted  aught,  they  used  to 
whisper  to  the  maid  which  attended  them,  who  came 
and  spake  to  me  ;  and  as  soon  as  they  could  handle  a 
knife  and  fork,  they  were  set  to  our  table.  They  were 
never  suffered  to  choose  their  meat,  but  always  made  to 
eat  such  things  as  were  provided  for  the  family. 

"  Mornings  they  had  always  spoon-meat ;  sometimes 
at  nights.  But  whatever  they  had,  they  were  never 
permitted  to  eat,  at  those  meals,  of  more  than  one  thing ; 
and  of  that  sparingly  enough.  Drinking  or  eating 
between  meals  was  never  allowed,  unless  in  case  of 


Aug.  17+2     "CONQUER  THE  WILL"  95 

sickness;  which  seldom  happened.  Nor  were  they 
suffered  to  go  into  the  kitchen  to  ask  anything  of  the 
servants,  when  they  were  at  meat :  if  it  was  known  they 
did,  they  were  certainly  beat,  and  the  servants  severely 
reprimanded. 

"  At  six,  as  soon  as  family  prayers  were  over,  they  had 
their  supper ;  at  seven,  the  maid  washed  them ;  and, 
beginning  at  the  youngest,  she  undressed  and  got  them 
all  to  bed  by  eight ;  at  which  time  she  left  them  in 
their  several  rooms  awake ;  for  there  was  no  such  thing 
allowed  of  in  our  house,  as  sitting  by  a  child  till  it  fell 
asleep. 

"  They  were  so  constantly  used  to  eat  and  drink  what 
was  given  them,  that  when  any  of  them  was  ill,  there 
was  no  difficulty  in  making  them  take  the  most  un- 
pleasant medicine  :  for  they  durst  not  refuse  it,  though 
some  of  them  would  presently  throw  it  up.  This  I 
mention  to  show  that  a  person  may  be  taught  to  take 
anything,  though  it  be  never  so  much  against  his 
stomach. 

"Conquer  the  Child's  Will** 

"  In  order  to  form  the  minds  of  children,  the  first 
thing  to  be  done  is  to  conquer  their  will,  and  bring  them 
to  an  obedient  temper.  To  inform  the  understanding 
is  a  work  of  time,  and  must  with  children  proceed  by 
slow  degrees  as  they  are  able  to  bear  it :  but  the  subject- 
ing the  will  is  a  thing  which  must  be  done  at  once;  and 
the  sooner  the  better.  For  by  neglecting  timely  correc- 
tion, they  will  contract  a  stubbornness  and  obstinacy 
which  is  hardly  ever  after  conquered ;  and  never,  without 
using  such  severity  as  would  be  as  painful  to  me  as  to 
the  child.  In  the  esteem  of  the  world  they  pass  for 
kind  and  indulgent,  whom  I  call  cruel,  parcnis,  who 


96  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  17+2 

permit  their  children  to  get  habits  which  they  know 
must  be  afterwards  broken.  Nay,  some  are  so  stupidly 
fond,  as  in  sport  to  teach  their  children  to  do  things 
which,  in  a  while  after,  they  have  severely  beaten  them 
for  doing. 

"  Whenever  a  child  is  corrected,  it  must  be  conquered; 
and  this  will  be  no  hard  matter  to  do,  if  it  be  not  grown 
headstrong  by  too  much  indulgence.  And  when  the 
will  of  a  child  is  totally  subdued,  and  it  is  brought  to 
revere  and  stand  in  awe  of  the  parents,  then  a  great 
many  childish  follies  and  inadvertences  may  be  passed 
by.  Some  should  be  overlooked  and  taken  no  notice 
of,  and  others  mildly  reproved ;  but  no  wilful  trans- 
gression ought  ever  to  be  forgiven  children,  without 
chastisement,  less  or  more,  as  the  nature  and  circum- 
stances of  the  offence  require. 

"  I  insist  upon  conquering  the  will  of  children  betimes, 
because  this  is  the  only  strong  and  rational  foundation 
of  a  religious  education ;  without  which  both  precept 
and  example  will  be  ineffectual.  But  when  this  is 
thoroughly  done,  then  a  child  is  capable  of  being 
governed  by  the  reason  and  piety  of  its  parents,  till  its 
own  understanding  comes  to  maturity,  and  the  principles 
of  religion  have  taken  root  in  the  mind. 

"  I  cannot  yet  dismiss  this  subject.  As  self-will  is 
the  root  of  all  sin  and  misery,  so  whatever  cherishes  this 
in  children  insures  their  after-wretchedness  and  irreligion; 
whatever  checks  and  mortifies  it  promotes  their  future 
happiness  and  piety.  This  is  still  more  evident,  if  we 
farther  consider,  that  religion  is  nothing  else  than  the 
doing  the  will  of  God,  and  not  our  own  :  that  the  one 
grand  impediment  to  our  temporal  and  eternal  happiness 
being  this  self-will,  no  indulgences  of  it  can  be 
trivial,  no  denial  unprofitable.    Heaven  or  hell  depends 


Aug.  1742  HAD  NOTHING  THEY  CRIED  FOR  97 


on  this  alone.  So  that  the  parent  who  studies  to  subdue 
it  in  his  child,  works  together  with  God  in  the  renewing 
and  saving  a  soul.  The  parent  who  indulges  it  does 
the  devil's  work,  makes  religion  impracticable,  salvation 
unattainable ;  and  does  all  that  in  him  lies  to  damn  his 
child,  soul  and  body  for  ever. 

They  had  Nothing  they  Cried  For 

f~"  The  children  of  this  family  were  taught,  as  soon  as 
they  could  speak,  the  Lord's  prayer,  which  they  were 
made  to  say  at  rising  and  bed-time  constantly ;  to  which, 
as  they  grew  bigger,  were  added  a  short  prayer  for  their 
parents,  and  some  collects;  a  short  catechism,  and  some 
portion  of  Scripture,  as  their  memories  could  bear. 

"  They  were  very  early  made  to  distinguish  the  Sabbath 
from  other  days ;  before  they  could  well  speak  or  go. 
They  were  as  soon  taught  to  be  still  at  family  prayers, 
and  to  ask  a  blessing  immediately  after,  which  they  used 
to  do  by  signs,  before  they  could  kneel  or  speak. 

"  They  were  quickly  made  to  understand  they  might 
have  nothing  they  cried  for,  and  instructed  to  speak 
handsomely  for  what  they  wanted,  They  were  not  suf- 
fered to  ask  even  the  lowest  servant  for  aught  without 
saying,  '  Pray  give  me  such  a  thing ' ;  and  the  servant 
was  chid,  if  she  ever  let  them  omit  that  word.  Taking 
God's  name  in  vain,  cursing  and  swearing,  profaneness, 
obscenity,  rude,  ill-bred  names,  were  never  heard  among 
them.  Nor  were  they  ever  permitted  to  call  each  other 
by  their  proper  names  without  the  addition  of  brother 
or  sister^'' 

"  None  of  them  were  taught  to  read  till  five  years  old, 
except  Kezzy,  in  whose  case  I  was  overruled  ;  and  she 
was  more  years  learning  than  any  of  the  rest  had  been 
months.     The  way  of  teaching  was  this :    The  day 

o 


98  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1742 

before  a  child  began  to  learn,  the  house  was  set  in  order, 
every  one's  work  appointed  them,  and  a  charge  given 
that  none  should  come  into  the  room  from  nine  till 
twelve,  or  from  two  till  five;  which,  you  know,  were 
our  school  hours.  One  day  was  allowed  the  child 
wherein  to  learn  its  letters  ;  and  each  of  them  did  in  that 
time  know  all  its  letters,  great  and  small,  except  Molly 
and  Nancy,  who  were  a  day  and  a  half  before  they  knew 
them  perfectly ;  for  which  I  then  thought  them  very  dull ; 
but  since  I  have  observed  how  long  many  children  are 
learning  the  horn-book,  I  have  changed  my  opinion. 

"  But  the  reason  why  I  thought  them  so  then  was, 
because  the  rest  learned  so  readily ;  and  your  brother 
Samuel,  who  was  the  first  child  I  ever  taught,  learned 
the  alphabet  in  a  few  hours.  He  was  five  years  old  on 
February  10;  the  next  day  he  began  to  learn,  and  as 
soon  as  he  knew  the  letters,  began  at  the  first  chapter  of 
Genesis.  He  was  taught  to  spell  the  first  verse,  then  to 
read  it  over  and  over,  till  he  could  read  it  oftliand  with- 
out any  hesitation,  so  on  to  the  second,  &c.,  till  he  took 
ten  verses  for  a  lesson,  which  he  quickly  did.  Easter 
fell  low  that  year,  and  by  Whitsuntide  he  could  read  a 
chapter  very  well ;  for  he  read  continually,  and  had  such 
a  prodigious  memory,  that  I  cannot  remember  ever  to 
have  told  him  the  same  word  twice. 

Keeping  the  "Wesley  Children  in  Order 

"  What  was  yet  stranger,  any  word  he  had  learned  in 
his  lesson,  he  knew,  wherever  he  saw  it,  either  in  his 
Bible,  or  any  other  book ;  by  which  means  he  learned 
very  soon  to  read  an  English  author  well. 

"  The  same  method  was  observed  with  them  all.  As 
soon  as  they  knew  the  letters,  they  were  put  first  to  spell, 
and  read  one  line,  then  a  verse ;  never  leaving  till 


Ate  1742    KEEPING  THEM  IN  ORDER  99 


perfect  in  their  lesson,  were  it  shorter  or  longer.  So 
one  or  other  continued  reading  at  school-time,  without 
any  intermission ;  and  before  we  left  school,  each  child 
read  what  he  had  learned  that  morning ;  and  ere  we 
parted  in  the  afternoon,  what  they  had  learned  that  day. 

"  There  was  no  such  thing  as  loud  talking  or  plapng 
allowed  of ;  but  every  one  was  kept  close  to  their  busi- 
ness, for  the  six  hours  of  school :  and  it  is  almost 
incredible,  what  a  child  may  be  taught  in  a  quarter  of 
a  year,  by  a  vigorous  application,  if  it  have  but  a 
tolerable  capacity,  and  good  health.  Every  one  of  these, 
Kezzy  excepted,  could  read  better  in  that  time,  than  the 
most  of  women  can  do  as  long  as  they  live. 

"  Rising  out  of  their  places,  or  going  out  of  the  room, 
was  not  permitted,  unless  for  good  cause ;  and  running 
into  the  yard,  garden,  or  street,  without  leave,  was  always 
esteemed  a  capital  offence. 

"  For  some  years  we  went  on  very  well.  Never  were 
children  in  better  order.  Never  were  children  better 
disposed  to  piety,  or  in  more  subjection  to  their  parents ; 
till  that  fatal  dispersion  of  them,  after  the  fire,  into 
several  families.  In  those  they  were  left  at  full  liberty 
to  converse  with  servants,  which  before  they  had  always 
been  restrained  from ;  and  to  run  abroad,  and  play 
with  any  children,  good  or  bad.  They  soon  learned  to 
neglect  a  strict  observation  of  the  Sabbath,  and  got 
knowledge  of  several  songs  and  bad  things,  which  before 
they  had  no  notion  of.  The  civil  behaviour  which  made 
them  admired,  when  at  home,  by  all  which  saw  them, 
was,  in  great  measure,  lost ;  and  a  clownish  accent,  and 
many  rude  ways,  were  learned,  which  were  not  reformed 
without  some  difficulty. 

"  When  the  house  was  rebuilt,  and  the  children  all 
brought  home,  we  entered  upon  a  strict  reform;  and 


100 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1742 


then  was  begun  the  custom  of  singing  psalms  at  begin- 
ning and  leaving  school,  morning  and  evening.  Then 
also  that  of  a  general  retirement  at  five  o'clock  was 
entered  upon ;  when  the  oldest  took  the  youngest  that 
could  speak,  arid  the  second  the  next,  to  whom  they 
read  the  Psalms  for  the  day,  and  a  chapter  in  the  New 
Testament ;  as,  in  the  morning,  they  were  directed  to 
read  the  Psalms  and  a  chapter  in  the  Old  :  after  which 
they  went  to  their  private  prayers,  before  they  got  their 
breakfast,  or  came  into  the  family.  And,  I  thank  God, 
the  custom  is  still  preserved  among  us. 

Susanna  Wesley's  "By-laws** 

"There  were  several  by-laws  observed  among  us, 
which  slipped  my  memory,  or  else  they  had  been  inserted 
in  their  proper  place;  but  I  mention  them  here,  because 
I  think  them  useful. 

"I.  It  had  been  observed,  that  cowardice  and  fear  of 
punishment  often  lead  children  into  lying,  till  they  get  a 
custom  of  it,  which  they  cannot  leave.  To  prevent  this, 
a  law  was  made,  That  whoever  was  charged  with  a 
fault,  of  which  they  were  guilty,  if  they  would  ingenuously 
confess  it,  and  promise  to  amend,  should  not  be  beaten. 
This  rule  prevented  a  great  deal  of  lying,  and  would 
have  done  more,  if  one  in  the  family  would  have  observed 
it.  But  he  could  not  be  prevailed  on,  and  therefore 
was  often  imposed  on  by  false  colours  and  equivoca- 
tions ;  which  none  would  have  used  (except  one),  had 
they  been  kindly  dealt  with.  And  some,  in  spite  of  all, 
would  always  speak  truth  plainly. 

"  2.  That  no  sinful  action,  as  lying,  pilfering,  playing 
at  church,  or  on  the  Lord's  day,  disobedience,  quar- 
relling, &c.,  should  ever  pass  unpunished. 

"  3.  That  no  child  should  ever  be  chid,  or  beat  twice, 


Aug.  1742        WESLEY'S  "  BY-LAWS "  101 


for  the  same  fault ;  and  that  if  they  amended,  they 
should  never  be  upbraided  with  it  afterwards. 

"  4.  That  every  signal  act  of  obedience,  especially 
when  it  crossed  upon  their  own  inclinations,  should  be 
always  commended,  and  frequently  rewarded,  according 
to  the  merits  of  the  cause. 

"  5.  That  if  ever  any  child  performed  an  act  of 
obedience,  or  did  anything  with  an  intention  to  please, 
though  the  performance  was  not  well,  yet  the  obedience 
and  intention  should  be  kindly  accepted  ;  and  the  child 
with  sweetness  directed  how  to  do  better  for  the  future. 

"  6.  That  propriety  be  inviolably  preserved,  and  none 
suffered  to  invade  the  property  of  another  in  the  smallest 
matter,  though  it  were  but  of  the  value  of  a  farthing,  or 
a  pin;  which  they  might  not  take  from  the  owner 
without,  much  less  against,  his  consent.  This  rule  can 
never  be  too  much  inculcated  on  the  minds  of  children ; 
and  from  the  want  of  parents  or  governors  doing  it  as 
they  ought,  proceeds  that  shameful  neglect  of  justice 
which  we  may  observe  in  the  world. 

"  7.  That  promises  be  strictly  observed ;  and  a  gift 
once  bestowed,  and  so  the  right  passed  away  from  the 
donor,  be  not  resumed,  but  left  to  the  disposal  of  him 
to  whom  it  was  given  ;  unless  it  were  conditional,  and  the 
condition  of  the  obligation  not  performed. 

"  8.  That  no  girl  be  taught  to  work  till  she  can  read 
very  well ;  and  then  that  she  be  kept  to  her  work  with 
the  same  application,  and  for  the  same  time,  that  she 
was  held  to  in  reading.  This  rule  also  is  much  to  be 
observed ;  for  the  putting  children  to  learn  sewing  before 
they  can  read  perfectly,  is  the  very  reason  why  so  few 
women  can  read  fit  to  be  heard,  and  never  to  be  well 
understood." 

Wed.  December  i  (Newcastle). — We  had  several  places 


102  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Dec.  1742 

offered,  on  which  to  build  a  room  for  the  society ;  but 
none  was  such  as  we  wanted.  And  perhaps  there  was 
a  providence  in  our  not  finding  any  as  yet ;  for,  by  this 
means,  I  was  kept  at  Newcastle,  whether  I  would  or  no. 
Sat.  4. — I  was  both  surprised  and  grieved  at  a  genuine 

instance  of  enthusiasm.    J   B  ,  of  Tunfield 

Leigh,  who  had  received  a  sense  of  the  love  of  God  a 
few  days  before,  came  riding  through  the  town,  hallooing 
and  shouting,  and  driving  all  the  people  before  him ; 
telling  them,  God  had  told  him  he  should  be  a  king,  and 
should  tread  all  his  enemies  under  his  feet.  I  sent  him 
home  immediately  to  his  work,  and  advised  him  to  cry 
day  and  night  to  God,  that  he  might  be  lowly  in  heart; 
lest  Satan  should  again  get  an  advantage  over  him. 

Mr.  Stephenson  and  Wesley 
To-day  a  gentleman  called  and  offered  me  a  piece  of 
ground.    On  Monday  an  article  was  drawn,  wherein  he 
agreed  to  put  me  into  possession  on  Thursday,  upon 
payment  of  thirty  pounds. 

Tues,  7 — I  was  so  ill  in  the  morning,  that  I  was 
obliged  to  send  Mr.  Williams  to  the  room.  He  after- 
wards went  to  Mr.  Stephenson,  a  merchant  in  the  town, 
who  had  a  passage  through  the  ground  we  intended  to 
buy.  I  was  willing  to  purchase  it.  Mr.  Stephenson 
told  him,  "  Sir,  I  do  not  want  money  ;  but  if  Mr.  Wesley 
wants  ground,  he  may  have  a  piece  of  my  garden,  ad- 
joining to  the  place  you  mention.  I  am  at  a  word. 
For  forty  pounds  he  shall  have  sixteen  yards  in  breadth, 
and  thirty  in  length." 

Wed.  8. — Mr.  Stephenson  and  I  signed  an  article, 
and  I  took  possession  of  the  ground.  But  I  could  not 
fairly  go  back  from  my  agreement  with  Mr.  Riddel :  so  I 
entered  on  his  ground  at  the  same  time.    The  whole  is 


Jan.  1743     REFUSED  THE  SACRAMENT  103 


about  forty  yards  in  length ;  in  the  middle  of  which  we 
determined  to  build  the  house,  leaving  room  for  a  small 
courtyard  before,  and  a  little  garden  behind,  the 
building. 

Mon.  13. — I  removed  into  a  lodging,  adjoining  to  the 
ground  where  we  were  preparing  to  build ;  but  the 
violent  frost  obliged  us  to  delay  the  work.  I  never  felt 
so  intense  cold  before.  In  a  room  where  a  constant  fire 
was  kept,  though  my  desk  was  fixed  within  a  yard  of  the 
chimney,  I  could  not  write  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
together,  without  my  hands  being  quite  benumbed. 

Ncwcastle*s  First  Methodist  Room 
Mon,  20. — We  laid  the  first  stone  of  the  house. 
Many  were  gathered,  from  all  parts,  to  see  it ;  but  none 
scoffed  or  interrupted  while  we  praised  God,  and  prayed 
that  He  would  prosper  the  work  of  our  hands  upon  us. 
Three  or  four  times  in  the  evening,  I  was  forced  to 
break  off  preaching,  that  we  might  pray  and  give  thanks 
to  God. 

Thur.  23. — It  being  computed  that  such  a  house  as 
was  proposed  could  not  be  finished  under  ;^7oo, 
many  were  positive  it  would  never  be  finished  at 
all;  others,  that  I  should  not  live  to  see  it  covered. 
I  was  of  another  mind;  nothing  doubting  but,  as  it 
was  begun  for  God's  sake.  He  would  provide  what  was 
needful  for  the  finishing  it. 

1743.  Sat.  January  i. — Between  Doncaster  and 
Epworth  I  overtook  one  who  immediately  accosted  me 
with  so  many  and  so  impertinent  questions,  that  I  was 
quite  amazed.  In  the  midst  of  some  of  them,  concerning 
my  travels  and  my  journey,  I  interrupted  him,  and  asked, 
''Are  you  aware  that  we  are  on  a  longer  journey;  that 
we  are  travelling  toward  eternity  ?  "   He  replied  instantly, 


104.  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  Jan.  17+3 

"  O,  I  find  you !  I  find  you !  I  know  where  you  are  ! 
Is  not  your  name  Wesley  ?  'Tis  pity !  'Tis  great  pity  ! 
Why  could  not  your  father's  religion  serve  you  ?  Why 
must  you  have  a  new  religion  ?  "  I  was  going  to  reply ; 
but  he  cut  me 'short  by  crying  out  in  triumph,  "I  am 
a  Christian  !  I  am  a  Christian !  I  am  a  Churchman  ! 
I  am  a  Churchman  !  I  am  none  of  your  Culamites  " ; 
as  plain  as  he  could  speak;  for  he  was  so  drunk,  he 
could  but  just  keep  his  seat.  Having  then  clearly  won 
the  day,  or,  as  his  phrase  was,  "  put  them  all  down,"  he 
began  kicking  his  horse  on  both  sides  and  rode  off  as 
fast  as  he  could. 

Wesley  Refused  the  Sacrament  at  Epworth 

In  the  evening  I  reached  Epworth.  Sunday,  2.  At 
five  I  preached  on,  "  So  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the 
Spirit."  About  eight  I  preached  from  my  father's  tomb 
on  Heb.  viii.  1 1 .  Many  from  the  neighbouring  towns 
asked,  if  it  would  not  be  well,  as  it  was  sacrament 
Sunday,  for  them  to  receive  it.  I  told  them,  "  By  all 
means :  but  it  would  be  more  respectful  first  to  ask  Mr. 
Romley,  the  curate's  leave."  One  did  so,  in  the  name 
of  the  rest;  to  whom  he  said,  "Pray  tell  Mr.  Wesley, 
I  shall  not  give  him  the  sacrament ;  for  he  is  not  fit." 

How  wise  a  God  is  our  God !  There  could  not  have 
been  so  fit  a  place  under  heaven,  where  this  should  befall 
me  first  as  my  father's  house,  the  place  of  my  nativity, 
and  the  very  place  where,  "according  to  the  straitest 
sect  of  our  religion,"  I  had  so  long  "  lived  a  Pharisee  ! " 
It  was  also  fit,  in  the  highest  degree,  that  he  who 
repelled  me  from  that  very  table,  where  I  had  myself  so 
often  distributed  the  bread  of  life,  should  be  one  who 
owed  his  all  in  this  world  to  the  tender  love  which  my 
father  had  shown  lo  his,  as  well  as  personally  to  himself 


April  1743       THE  COCK-FIGHTER  105 


Tues.  2  2. — I  went  to  South-Biddick,  a  village  of 
colliers  seven  miles  south-east  of  Newcastle.  The  spot 
where  I  stood  was  just  at  the  bottom  of  a  semi-circular 
hill,  on  the  rising  sides  of  which  many  hundreds  stood ; 
but  far  more  on  the  plain  beneath.  I  cried  to  them,  in 
the  words  of  the  prophet,  "  O  ye  dry  bones,  hear  the 
word  of  the  Lord  !  "  Deep  attention  sat  on  every  face ; 
so  that  here  also  I  believed  it  would  be  well  to  preach 
weekly. 

"Wesley  and  the  Cock-fighter 
Wed.  23. — I  met  a  gentleman  in  the  streets  cursing 
and  swearing  in  so  dreadful  a  manner,  that  I  could  not 
but  stop  him.  He  soon  grew  calmer ;  told  me  he  must 
treat  me  with  a  glass  of  wine;  and  that  he  would  come 
and  hear  me,  only  he  was  afraid  I  should  say  something 
against  fighting  of  cocks. 

April  I.  (Being  Good  Friday.) — I  had  a  great 
desire  to  visit  a  little  village  called  Placey,  about  ten 
measured  miles  north  of  Newcastle.  It  is  inhabited  by 
colliers  only,  and  such  as  had  been  always  in  the  first 
rank  for  savage  ignorance  and  wickedness  of  every  kind. 
Their  grand  assembly  used  to  be  on  the  Lord's  day ;  on 
which  men,  women,  and  children  met  together  to  dance, 
fight,  curse  and  swear,  and  play  at  chuck  ball,  span- 
farthing,  or  whatever  came  next  to  hand.  I  felt  great 
compassion  for  these  poor  creatures,  from  the  time  I 
heard  of  them  first;  and  the  more,  because  all  men 
seemed  to  despair  of  them. 

Between  seven  and  eight  I  set  out  with  John  Heally, 
my  guide.  The  north  wind,  being  unusually  high, 
drove  the  sleet  in  our  face,  which  froze  as  it  fell,  and 
cased  us  over  presently.  When  we  came  to  Placey,  we 
could  very  hardly  stand.    As  soon  as  we  were  a  little 


105  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1743 

recovered  I  went  into  the  square,  and  declared  Him  who 
"  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions  "  and  "  bruised 
for  our  iniquities."  The  poor  sinners  were  quickly 
gathered  together  and  gave  earnest  heed  to  the  things 
which  were  spoken.  And  so  they  did  in  the  afternoon 
again,  in  spite  of  the  wind  and  snow,  when  I  besought 
them  to  receive  Him  for  their  King;  to  "repent  and 
beiieve  the  Gospel." 

Wesley  in  Seven  Dials 
Sun.  May  29. — I  began  officiating  at  the  chapel 
in  West  Street,  near  the  Seven  Dials,  of  which  (by  a 
strange  chain  of  providences)  we  have  a  lease  for  several 
years.  I  preached  on  the  Gospel  for  the  day,  part  ot 
the  third  chapter  of  St.  John ;  and  afterwards  adminis- 
tered the  Lord's  Supper  to  some  hundreds  of  communi- 
cants. I  was  a  little  afraid  at  first,  that  my  strength 
would  not  suffice  for  the  business  of  the  day,  when  a 
service  of  five  hours  (for  it  lasted  from  ten  to  three)  was 
added  to  my  usual  employment.  But  God  looked  to 
that :  so  I  must  think ;  and  they  that  will  call  it 
enthusiasm  may.  I  preached  at  the  Great-gardens  at 
five  to  an  immense  congregation,  on,  "  Ye  must  be  born 
again."  Then  the  leaders  met  (who  filled  all  the  time 
that  I  was  not  speaking  in  public) ;  and  after  them,  the 
bands.  At  ten  at  night  I  was  less  weary  than  at  six  in 
the  morning. 

Sun.  July  10  (Newcastle). — I  preached  at  eight  on 
Chowden  Fell,  on,  "  Why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel  ?  " 
Ever  since  I  came  to  Newcastle  the  first  time,  my  spirit 
had  been  moved  within  me,  at  the  crowds  of  poor 
wretches,  who  were  every  Sunday,  in  the  afternoon 
sauntering  to  and  fro  on  the  Sandhill.  I  resolved,  it 
possible,  to  find  them  a  better  employ ;  and  as  soon  as 


Aug.  1743    HIS  HORSES  GIVE  TROUBLE  107 


the  service  at  All  Saints  was  over,  walked  straight  from 
the  church  to  the  Sandhill,  and  gave  out  a  verse  of  a 
psalm.  In  a  few  minutes  I  had  company  enough; 
thousands  upon  thousands  crowding  together.  But  the 
prince  of  this  world  fought  with  all  his  might  lest  his 
kingdom  should  be  overthrown.  Indeed,  the  very  mob 
of  Newcastle,  in  the  height  of  their  rudeness,  have 
commonly  some  humanity  left.  I  scarce  observed  that 
they  threw  any  thing  at  all ;  neither  did  I  receive  the 
least  personal  hurt :  but  they  continued  thrusting  one 
another  to  and  fro,  and  making  such  a  noise,  that  my 
voice  could  not  be  heard :  so  that,  after  spending  near 
an  hour  in  singing  and  prayer,  I  thought  it  best  to 
adjourn  to  our  own  house. 

Wesley's  Hofses  give  Trouble 
Mon.  1 8. — I  set  out  from  Newcastle  with  John 
Downes,  of  Horsley.  We  were  four  hours  riding  to 
Ferry  Hill,  about  twenty  measured  miles.  After  resting 
there  an  hour  we  rode  softly  on ;  and,  at  two  o'clock, 
came  to  Darlington.  I  thought  my  horse  was  not  well ; 
he  thought  the  same  of  his;  though  they  were  both 
young,  and  very  well  the  day  before.  We  ordered  the 
hostler  to  fetch  a  farrier,  which  he  did  without  delay; 
but,  before  the  men  could  determine  what  was  the 
matter,  both  the  horses  lay  down  and  died. 

I  hired  a  horse  to  Sandhutton,  and  rode  on,  desiring 
John  Downes  to  follow  me.  Thence  I  rode  to  Borough- 
bridge  on  Tuesday  morning,  and  then  walked  on  to 
Leeds. 

Mon.  August  2  2  (London). — After  a  few  of  us  had 
joined  in  prayer,  about  four  I  set  out  and  rode  softly  to 
Snow  Hill ;  where,  the  saddle  slipping  quite  upon  my 
mare's  neck,  I  fell  over  her  head,  and  she  ran  back  into 


108  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1743 

Smithfield.  Some  boys  caught  her  and  brought  her  to 
me  again,  cursing  and  swearing  all  the  way.  I  spoke 
plainly  to  them,  and  they  promised  to  amend.  I  was 
setting  forward,  when  a  man  cried,  "  Sir,  you  have  lost 
your  saddle-cloth."  Two  or  three  more  would  needs 
help  me  to  put  it  on ;  but  these,  too,  swore  at  almost 
every  word.  I  turned  to  one  and  another,  and  spoke  in 
love.  They  all  took  it  well,  and  thanked  me  much.  I 
gave  them  two  or  three  little  books,  which  they  promised 
to  read  over  carefully. 

Before  I  reached  Kensington,  I  found  my  mare  had 
lost  a  shoe.  This  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  talking 
closely,  for  near  half  an  hour,  both  to  the  smith  and  his 
servant.  I  mention  these  little  circumstances  to  show 
how  easy  it  is  to  redeeni  every  fragment  of  time  (if  I 
may  so  speak),  when  we  feel  any  love  to  those  souls  for 
which  Christ  died. 

Wesley  Goes  to  Cornwall 
Fri.  26. — I  set  out  for  Cornwall.  In  the  evening  I 
preached  at  the  cross  in  Taunton,  on,  "  The  kingdom  of 
God  is  not  meat  and  drink ;  but  righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  A  poor  man  had 
posted  himself  behind,  in  order  to  make  some  disturb- 
ance :  but  the  time  was  not  come ;  the  zealous  wretches 
who  "  deny  the  Lord  that  bought  them  "  had  not  yet 
stirred  up  the  people.  Many  cried  out,  "Throw  down 
that  rascal  there ;  knock  him  down ;  beat  out  his 
brains  "  :  so  that  I  was  obliged  to  entreat  for  him  more 
than  once,  or  he  would  have  been  but  roughly  handled. 

Sat.  27. — I  reached  Exeter  in  the  afternoon ;  but  as 
no  one  knew  of  my  coming,  I  did  not  preach  that  night, 
only  to  one  poor  sinner  at  the  inn ;  who,  after  listening 
to  our  conversation  for  a  while,  looked  earnestly  at  us, 


Aug.  1743   WESLEY  GOES  TO  CORNWALL  109 

and  asked,  whether  it  was  possible  for  one,  who  had  in 
some  measure  known  "  the  power  of  the  world  to  come," 
and  was  "  fallen  away  "  (which  she  said  was  her  case),  to 
be  "  renewed  again  to  repentance."  We  besought  God 
in  her  behalf,  and  left  her  sorrowing;  and  yet  not 
without  hope. 

Sun.  28. — I  preached  at  seven  to  a  handful  of  people. 
The  sermon  we  heard  at  church  was  quite  innocent  of 
meaning :  what  that  in  the  afternoon  was,  I  know  not ; 
for  I  could  not  hear  a  single  sentence. 

From  church  I  went  to  the  castle;  where  were 
gathered  together  (as  some  imagined)  half  the  grown 
persons  in  the  city.  It  was  an  awful  sight.  So  vast  a 
congregation  in  that  solemn  amphitheatre !  And  all 
silent  and  still,  while  I  explained  at  large,  and  enforced, 
that  glorious  truth,  "  Happy  are  they  whose  iniquities 
are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered." 

Mon.  29. — We  rode  forward.  About  sunset  we  were 
in  the  middle  of  the  first  great  pathless  moor  beyond 
Launceston.  About  eight  we  were  got  quite  out  of  the 
way ;  but  we  had  not  got  far  before  we  heard  Bodmin 
bell.  Directed  by  this  we  turned  to  the  left  and  came 
to  the  town  before  nine. 

Tues.  30. — In  the  evening  we  reached  St.  Ives.  At 
seven  I  invited  all  guilty,  helpless  sinners,  who  were 
conscious  they  "  had  nothing  to  pay,"  to  accept  of  free 
forgiveness.  The  room  was  crowded  both  within  and 
without ;  but  all  were  quiet  and  attentive. 

Wed.  31. — I  spoke  severally  with  those  of  the  society, 
who  were  about  one  hundred  and  twenty.  Near  an 
hundred  of  these  had  found  peace  with  God  :  such  is 
the  blessing  of  being  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake ! 
As  we  were  going  to  church  at  eleven,  a  large  company 
at  the  market-place  welcomed  us  with  a  loud  huzza: 


110 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Sept.  1743 


wit  as  harmless  as  the  ditty  sung  under  my  window 
(composed,  one  assured  me,  by  a  gentlewoman  of  their 
own  town), 

*'  Charles  Wesley  is  come  to  town, 
To  try  if  he  can  pull  the  churches  dowti.'* 

In  the  evening  I  explained  "the  promise  of  the 
Father."  After  preaching,  many  began  to  be  turbulent ; 
but  John  Nelson  went  into  the  midst  of  them,  spoke  a 
little  to  the  loudest,  who  answered  not  again,  but  went 
quietly  away. 

The  Cornish  Tinners 

Sat.  September  3. — I  rode  to  the  Three-cornered  Down 
(so  called),  nine  or  ten  miles  east  of  St.  Ives,  where  we 
found  two  or  three  hundred  tinners,  who  had  been 
some  time  waiting  for  us.  They  all  appeared  quite 
pleased  and  unconcerned ;  and  many  of  them  ran  after 
us  to  Gwennap  (two  miles  east),  where  their  number  was 
quickly  increased  to  four  or  five  hundred.  I  had  much 
comfort  here,  in  applying  these  words,  "  He  hath 
anointed  me  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  poor."  One 
who  lived  near  invited  us  to  lodge  at  his  house,  and 
conducted  us  back  to  the  Green  in  the  morning.  We 
came  thither  just  as  the  day  dawned. 

I  strongly  applied  those  gracious  words,  "I  will  heal  their 
backslidings,  I  will  love  them  freely,"  to  five  or  six  hundred 
serious  people.  At  Trezuthan  Downs,  five  miles  nearer 
St.  Ives,  we  found  seven  or  eight  hundred  people,  to 
whom  I  cried  aloud,  "  Cast  away  all  your  transgressions ; 
for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel  ?  "  After  dinner 
I  preached  again  to  about  a  thousand  people,  on  Him 
whom  "  God  hath  exalted  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour." 
It  was  here  first  I  observed  a  little  impression  made  on 


Sept.  1743    THE  CORNISH  TINNERS  111 

two  or  three  of  the  hearers ;  the  rest,  as  usual,  showing 
huge  approbation,  and  absolute  unconcern. 

Fri.  9. — I  rode  in  quest  of  St.  Hilary  Downs,  ten  or 
twelve  miles  south-east  of  St.  Ives.  And  the  Downs  I 
found,  but  no  congregation — neither  man,  woman,  nor 
child.  But  by  that  I  had  put  on  my  gown  and  cassock, 
about  an  hundred  gathered  themselves  together,  whom  I 
earnestly  called  "  to  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel." 
And  if  but  one  heard,  it  was  worth  all  the  labour. 

Sat.  10. — There  were  prayers  at  St.  Just  in  the 
afternoon,  which  did  not  end  till  four.  I  then  preached 
at  the  Cross,  to,  I  believe,  a  thousand  people,  who  all 
behaved  in  a  quiet  and  serious  manner. 

At  six  I  preached  at  Sennan,  near  the  Land's  End ; 
and  appointed  the  little  congregation  (consisting  chiefly 
of  old,  grey-headed  men)  to  meet  me  again  at  five  in  the 
morning.  But  on  Sunday,  11,  great  part  of  them  were 
got  together  between  three  and  four  o'clock  :  so  between 
four  and  five  we  began  praising  God;  and  I  largely 
explained  and  applied,  "  I  will  heal  their  backslidings ; 
I  will  love  them  freely." 

We  went  afterwards  down,  as  far  as  we  could  go  safely, 
toward  the  point  of  the  rocks  at  the  Land's  End.  It  was 
an  awful  sight !  But  how  will  these  melt  away,  when  God 
shall  arise  to  judgment !  The  sea  between  does  indeed 
"  boil  like  a  pot."  "  One  would  think  the  deep  to  be 
hoary."  But  "though  they  swell,  yet  can  they  not 
prevail.  He  hath  set  their  bounds,  which  they  cannot 
pass." 

Between  eight  and  nine  I  preached  at  St.  Just,  on  the 
green  plain  near  the  town,  to  the  largest  congregation  (I 
was  informed)  that  ever  had  been  seen  in  these  parts.  I 
cried  out,  with  all  the  authority  of  love,  "  Why  will  ye 
die,  O  house  of  Israel  ? "    The  people  trembled,  and 


112 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Sept.  1743 


were  still.  I  had  not  known  such  an  hour  before  in 
Cornwall. 

In  the  Scilly  Isles 
Mon.  12. — I  Jiad  had  for  some  time  a  great  desire  to 
go  and  publish  the  love  of  God  our  Saviour,  if  it  were 
but  for  one  day,  in  the  Isles  of  Scilly;  and  I  had  occa- 
sionally mentioned  it  to  several.  This  evening  three  of 
our  brethren  came  and  offered  to  carry  me  thither,  if  I 
could  procure  the  mayor's  boat,  which,  they  said,  was 
the  best  sailer  of  any  in  the  town.  I  sent,  and  he  lent 
it  me  immediately.  So  the  next  morning,  Tuesday,  13, 
John  Nelson,  Mr.  Shepherd,  and  I,  with  three  men  and 
a  pilot,  sailed  from  St.  Ives.  It  seemed  strange  to  me  to 
attempt  going  in  a  fisher-boat,  fifteen  leagues  upon  the 
main  ocean ;  especially  when  the  waves  began  to  swell, 
and  hang  over  our  heads.  But  I  called  to  my  com- 
panions, and  we  all  joined  together  in  singing  lustily  and 
with  a  good  courage  : 

"  When  passing  through  the  watery  deep, 
I  ask  in  faith  his  promised  aid  ; 
The  waves  an  awful  distance  keep, 

And  shrink  from  my  devoted  head; 
Fearless  their  violence  I  dare  : 
They  cannot  harm — for  God  is  there." 

About  half  an  hour  after  one,  we  landed  on  St.  Mary's, 
the  chief  of  the  inhabited  islands. 

We  immediately  waited  upon  the  Governor,  with  the 
usual  present,  viz.,  a  newspaper.  I  desired  him,  likewise, 
to  accept  of  an  "  Earnest  Appeal."  The  minister  not 
being  willing  I  should  preach  in  the  church,  I  preached, 
at  six,  in  the  streets,  to  almost  all  the  town,  and  many 
soldiers,  sailors,  and  workmen,  on,  "  Why  will  ye  die,  O 
house  of  Israel  ? "  It  was  a  blessed  time,  so  that  I 
scarce  knew  how  to  conclude.    After  sermon  I  gave 


Sept.  1743      IN  THE  SCILLY  ISLES  113 

them  some  little  books  and  hymns,  which  they  were  so 
eager  to  receive,  that  they  were  ready  to  tear  both  them 
and  me  to  pieces. 

For  what  political  reason  such  a  number  of  workmen 
were  gathered  together,  and  employed  at  so  large  an 
expense,  to  fortify  a  few  barren  rocks,  which  whosoever 
would  take,  deserves  to  have  them  for  his  pains,  I  could 
not  possibly  devise  :  but  a  providential  reason  was  easy 
to  be  discovered.  God  might  call  them  together  to  hear 
the  Gospel,  which  perhaps  otherwise  they  might  never 
have  thought  of. 

At  five  in  the  morning  I  preached  again,  on,  "  I  will 
heal  their  backs] idings  J  I  will  love  them  freely,"  And 
between  nine  and  ten,  having  talked  with  many  in  private, 
and  distributed  both  to  them  and  others  between  two  and 
three  hundred  hymns  and  little  books,  we  left  this  barren, 
dreary  place,  and  set  sail  for  St.  Ives,  though  the  wind 
was  strong,  and  blew  directly  in  our  teeth.  Our  pilot 
said  we  should  have  good  luck  if  we  reached  the  land ; 
but  he  knew  not  Him  whom  the  winds  and  seas  obey. 
Soon  after  three  we  were  even  with  the  Land's  End,  and 
about  nine  we  reached  St.  Ives. 

Remaffeable  Service  at  Gwennap 
Tues.  20. — At  Trezuthan  Downs  I  preached  to  two  or 
three  thousand  people,  on  the  "  highway  "  of  the  Lord, 
the  way  of  holiness.  We  reached  Gwennap  a  little 
before  six,  and  found  the  plain  covered  from  end  to  end. 
It  was  supposed  there  were  ten  thousand  people;  to 
whom  I  preached  Christ  our  "  wisdom,  righteousness, 
sanctification,  and  redemption."  I  could  not  conclude 
till  it  was  so  dark  we  could  scarce  see  one  another.  And 
there  was  on  all  sides  the  deepest  attention ;  none  speak- 
ing, s.iiring,  or  scarce  looking  aside.   Surely  here,  though 

H 


114 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1743 


in  a  temple  not  made  with  hands,  was  God  worshipped 
in  "  the  beauty  of  holiness." 

Wed.  21. — I  was  waked  between  three  and  four,  by  a 
large  company  of  tinners,  who,  fearing  they  should  be 
too  late,  had  gathered  round  the  house,  and  were  sing- 
ing and  praising  God.  At  five  I  preached  once  more, 
on,  "  BeUeve  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved."  They  all  devoured  the  word.  O  may  it  be 
health  to  their  soul,  and  marrow  unto  their  bones ! 

We  rode  to  Launceston  that  day.  Thursday,  22.  As 
we  were  riding  through  a  village  called  Sticklepath,  one 
stopped  me  in  the  street,  and  asked  abruptly,  "  Is  not 
thy  name  John  Wesley?"  Immediately  two  or  three 
more  came  up,  and  told  me  I  must  stop  there.  I  did 
so;  and  before  we  had  spoke  many  words,  our  souls 
took  acquaintance  with  each  other.  I  found  they  were 
called  Quakers  :  but  that  hurt  not  me ;  seeing  the  love 
of  God  was  in  their  hearts. 

A  Mob  at  Wcdnesbury 
Thur.  Oct.  20. — After  preaching  to  a  small,  attentive 
congregation  (at  Birmingham),  I  rode  to  Wednesbury. 
At  twelve  I  preached  in  a  ground  near  the  middle  of 
the  town,  to  a  far  larger  congregation  than  was  expected, 
on,  "Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and 
for  ever."  I  believe  every  one  present  felt  the  power  ot 
God :  and  no  creature  offered  to  molest  us,  either  going 
or  coming ;  but  the  Lord  fought  for  us,  and  we  held  our 
peace. 

I  was  writing  at  Francis  Ward's,  in  the  afternoon,  when 
the  cry  arose,  that  the  mob  had  beset  the  house.  We 
prayed  that  God  would  disperse  them ;  and  it  was  so : 
one  went  this  way,  and  another  that ;  so  that,  in  half  an 
hour,  not  a  man  was  left.    I  told  our  brethren,  "  Now 


Oct.  1743     WESLEY  AND  THE  MOB 


115 


is  the  time  for  us  to  go  "  ;  but  they  pressed  me  exceedingly 
to  stay.  So,  that  I  might  not  offend  them,  I  sat  down, 
though  I  foresaw  what  would  follow.  Before  five  the  mob 
surrounded  the  house  again,  in  greater  numbers  than 
ever.  The  cry  of  one  and  all  was,  "  Bring  out  the 
minister;  we  will  have  the  minister." 

I  desired  one  to  take  their  captain  by  the  hand,  and 
bring  him  into  the  house.  After  a  few  sentences  inter- 
changed between  us,  the  lion  was  become  a  lamb.  I 
desired  him  to  go  and  bring  one  or  two  more  of  the  most 
angry  of  his  companions.  He  brought  in  two,  who  were 
ready  to  swallow  the  ground  with  rage;  but  in  two 
minutes  they  were  as  calm  as  he.  I  then  bade  them 
make  way,  that  I  might  go  out  among  the  people. 

As  soon  as  I  was  in  the  midst  of  them,  I  called 
for  a  chair ;  and  standing  up,  asked,  "  What  do  any  of 
you  want  with  me  ?  "  Some  said,  "  We  want  you  to  go 
with  us  to  the  justice."  I  replied,  "  That  I  will,  with 
all  my  heart."  I  then  spoke  a  few  words,  which  God 
applied ;  so  that  they  cried  out,  with  might  and  main, 
«'  The  gentleman  is  an  honest  gentleman,  and  we  will 
spill  our  blood  in  his  defence."  I  asked,  "  Shall  we  go 
to  the  justice  to-night,  or  in  the  morning  ? "  Most 
of  them  cried,  "  To-night,  to-night " ;  on  which  I  went 
before,  and  two  or  three  hundred  followed;  the  rest 
returning  whence  they  came. 

The  night  came  on  before  we  had  walked  a  mile, 
together  with  heavy  rain.  However,  on  we  went  to 
Bentley  Hall,  two  miles  from  Wednesbury.  One  or  two 
ran  before,  to  tell  Mr.  Lane  they  had  brought  Mr. 
Wesley  before  his  worship.  Mr.  Lane  replied,  "  What 
have  I  to  do  with  Mr.  Wesley  ?  Go  and  carry  him  back 
again."  By  this  time  the  main  body  came  up,  and  began 
knocking  at  the  door.    A  servant  told  them  Mr.  Lane 


116  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Oct.  1743 

was  in  bed.  His  son  followed,  and  asked  what  was  the 
matter.  One  replied,  "  Why,  an't  please  you,  they  sing 
psalms  all  day ;  nay,  and  make  folks  rise  at  five  in  the 
morning.  And  what  would  your  worship  advise  us  to 
do  ?  "   "  To  go  'home,"  said  Mr.  Lane,  "  and  be  quiet." 

Wesley  in  Danger 
Here  they  were  all  at  a  full  stop,  till  one  advised,  to 

go  to  Justice  Persehouse,  at  Walsal.  All  agreed  to  this ; 
so  we  hastened  on,  and  about  seven  came  to  his  house. 

But  Mr.  P  likewise  sent  word,  that  he  was  in  bed. 

Now  they  were  at  a  stand  again ;  but  at  last  they  all 
thought  it  the  wisest  course  to  make  the  best  of  their 
way  home.  About  fifty  of  them  undertook  to  convoy 
me.  But  we  had  not  gone  a  hundred  yards,  when  the 
mob  of  Walsal  came,  pouring  in  like  a  flood,  and  bore 
down  all  before  them.  The  Darlaston  mob  made  what 
defence  they  could ;  but  they  were  weary,  as  well  as  out- 
numbered :  so  that  m  a  short  time,  many  being  knocked 
down,  the  rest  ran  away,  and  left  me  in  their  hands. 

To  attempt  speaking  was  vain  ;  for  the  noise  on  every 
side  was  like  the  roaring  of  the  sea.  So  they  dragged 
me  along  till  we  came  to  the  town ;  where  seeing  the 
door  of  a  large  house  open,  I  attempted  to  go  in ;  but  a 
man,  catching  me  by  the  hair,  pulled  me  back  into  the 
middle  of  the  mob.  They  made  no  more  stop  till  ihey 
had  carried  me  through  the  main  street,  from  one  end  of 
the  town  to  the  other.  I  continued  speaking  all  the  time 
to  those  within  hearing,  feeling  no  pain  or  weariness. 
At  the  west  end  of  the  town,  seeing  a  door  half  open, 
I  made  toward  it,  and  would  have  gone  in  ;  but  a  gentle- 
man in  the  shop  would  not  suffer  me,  saying,  they  would 
pull  the  house  down  to  the  ground.  However,  I  stood 
at  the  door,  and  asked,  "Are  you  willing  to  hear  me 


Oct.  1743        WESLEY  IN  DANGER 


117 


speak  ?  "  Many  cried  out,  "  No,  no !  knock  his  brains 
out ;  down  with  him  ;  kill  him  at  once."  Others  said, 
"  Nay,  but  we  will  hear  him  first."  I  began  asking, 
"What  evil  have  I  done?  Which  of  you  all  have  I 
wronged  in  word  or  deed  ?  "  And  continued  speaking 
for  above  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  till  my  voice  suddenly 
failed :  then  the  floods  began  to  lift  up  their  voice 
again  ;  many  crying  out,  "  Bring  him  away  !  bring  him 
away ! " 

In  the  mean  time  my  strength  and  my  voice  returned, 
and  I  broke  out  aloud  in  prayer.  And  now  the  man 
who  just  before  headed  the  mob,  turned,  and  said,  "  Sir, 
I  will  spend  my  Ufe  for  you  :  follow  me,  and  not  one- 
soul  here  shall  touch  a  hair  of  your  head,"  Two  or 
three  of  his  fellows  confirmed  his  words,  and  got  close 
to  me  immediately.  At  the  same  time,  the  gentleman 
in  the  shop  cried  out,  "  For  shame,  for  shame  1  Let 
him  go." 

An  honest  butcher,  who  was  a  little  farther  off,  said  it 
was  a  shame  they  should  do  thus ;  and  pulled  back  four 
or  five,  one  after  another,  who  were  running  on  the  most 
fiercely.  The  people  then,  as  if  it  had  been  by  common 
consent,  fell  back  to  the  right  and  left ;  while  those  three 
or  four  men  took  me  between  them,  and  carried  me 
through  them  all.  But  on  the  bridge  the  mob  rallied 
again :  we  therefore  went  on  one  side,  over  the  mill-dam, 
and  thence  through  the  meadows;  till,  a  Httle  before 
ten,  God  brought  me  safe  to  Wednesbury;  having  lost 
only  one  flap  of  my  waistcoat,  and  a  little  skin  from  one 
of  my  hands. 

His  Presence  of  Mind 
I  never  saw  such  a  chain  of  providences  before;  so 
many  convincing  proofs,  that  the  hand  of  God  is  on 


118 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


Oct.  1743 


every  person  and  thing,  and  overruling  all  as  it  seemeth 
Him  good. 

The  poor  woman  of  Darlaston,  who  had  headed  that 
mob,  and  sworn,  that  no  one  should  touch  me,  when  she 
saw  her  followers  give  way,  ran  into  the  thickest  of  the 
throng,  and  knocked  down  three  or  four  men,  one  after 
another.  But  many  assaulting  her  at  once,  she  was  soon 
overpowered,  and  had  probably  been  killed  in  a  few 
minutes  (three  men  keeping  her  down  and  beating  her 
with  all  their  might),  had  not  a  man  called  to  one  of 
them,  "  Hold,  Tom,  hold  !  "  "  Who  is  there  ?  "  said  Tom  : 
"  what,  honest  Munchin  ?  Nay,  then,  let  her  go."  So 
they  held  their  hand,  and  let  her  get  up  and  crawl  home 
as  well  as  she  could. 

From  the  beginning  to  the  end  I  found  the  same 
presence  of  mind,  as  if  I  had  been  sitting  in  my  own 
study.  But  I  took  no  thought  for  one  moment  before 
another ;  only  once  it  came  into  my  mind,  that  if  they 
should  throw  me  into  the  river,  it  would  spoil  the  papers 
that  were  in  my  pocket.  For  myself,  I  did  not  doubt 
but  I  should  swim  across,  having  but  a  thin  coat,  and  a 
light  pair  of  boots. 

The  circumstances  that  follow,  I  thought,  were  particu- 
larly remarkable  :  I.  That  many  endeavoured  to  throw 
me  down  while  we  were  going  down-hill  on  a  slippery 
path  to  the  town ;  as  well  judging,  that  if  I  was  once  on 
the  ground,  I  should  hardly  rise  any  more.  But  I  made 
no  stumble  at  all,  nor  the  least  slip  till  I  was  entirely  out 
of  their  hands.  2.  That  although  many  strove  to  lay 
hold  on  my  collar  or  clothes,  to  pull  me  down,  they 
could  not  fasten  at  all :  only  one  got  fast  hold  of  the 
flap  of  my  waistcoat,  which  was  soon  left  in  his  hand ; 
the  other  flap,  in  the  pocket  of  which  was  a  bank  note, 
was  torn  but  half  off.    3.  That  a  lusty  man  just  behind 


Oct.  1743      REMARKABLE  ESCAPES  II9 

struck  at  me  several  times,  with  a  large  oaken  stick ;  with 
which  if  he  had  struck  me  once  on  the  back  part  of  my 
head,  it  would  have  saved  him  all  farther  trouble.  But 
every  time  the  blow  was  turned  aside,  I  know  not  how ; 
for  I  could  not  move  to  the  right  hand  or  left. 

"What  Soft  Hair  He  Has*' 

4.  That  another  came  rushing  through  the  press,  and 
raising  his  arm  to  strike,  on  a  sudden  let  it  drop,  and 
only  stroked  my  head,  saying,  "  What  soft  hair  he  has  !  " 
5.  That  I  stopped  exactly  at  the  mayor's  door,  as  if  I 
had  known  it  (which  the  mob  doubtless  thought  I  did), 
and  found  him  standing  in  the  shop,  which  gave  the 
first  check  to  the  madness  of  the  people.  6.  That  the 
very  first  men  whose  hearts  were  turned  were  the  heroes 
of  the  town,  the  captains  of  the  rabble  on  all  occasions, 
one  of  them  having  been  a  prize-fighter  at  the  bear- 
garden. 

7.  That  from  first  to  last,  I  heard  none  give  a  revil- 
ing word,  or  call  me  by  any  opprobrious  name  what- 
ever ;  but  the  cry  of  one  and  all  was  :  "  The  Preacher  ! 
The  Preacher  1  The  Parson  !  The  Minister  !  "  8.  That 
no  creature,  at  least  within  my  hearing,  laid  anything 
to  my  charge,  either  true  or  false ;  having  in  the  hurry 
quite  forgot  to  provide  themselves  with  an  accusation 
of  any  kind.  And,  lastly,  that  they  were  as  utterly  at  a 
loss,  what  they  should  do  with  me ;  none  proposing  any 
determinate  thing  ;  only,  "  Away  with  him  !  Kill  him  at 
once  ! " 

By  how  gentle  degrees  does  God  prepare  us  for  his 
will  !  Two  years  ago  a  piece  of  brick  grazed  my 
shoulders.  It  was  a  year  after  that  the  stone  struck  me 
between  the  eyes.  Last  month  I  received  one  blow, 
and  this  evening  two;  one  before  we  came  into  the 


120  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1743 

town,  and  one  after  we  were  gone  out ;  but  both  were  as 
nothing :  for  though  one  man  struck  me  on  the  breast 
with  all  his  might,  and  the  other  on  the  mouth  with  such 
a  force  that  the  blood  gushed  out  immediately,  I  felt  no 
more  pain  from '  either  of  the  blows,  than  if  they  had 
touched  me  with  a  straw. 

It  ought  not  to  be  forgotten,  that  when  the  rest  of 
the  society  made  all  haste  to  escape  for  their  lives,  four 
only  would  not  stir,  William  Sitch,  Edward  Slater,  John 
Griffiths,  and  Joan  Parks  :  these  kept  with  me,  resolving 
to  live  or  die  together  ;  and  none  of  them  received  one 
blow,  but  William  Sitch,  who  held  me  by  the  arm,  from 
one  end  of  the  town  to  the  other.  He  was  then  dragged 
away  and  knocked  down ;  but  he  soon  rose  and  got  to 
me  again.  I  afterwards  asked  him,  what  he  expected 
when  the  mob  came  upon  us  ?  He  said,  "  To  die  for 
Him  who  had  died  for  us  " :  and  he  felt  no  hurry  or 
fear ;  but  calmly  waited  till  God  should  require  his  soul 
of  him. 

"Wesley's  DefendefS 
I  asked  J.  Parks,  if  she  was  not  afraid  when  they 
tore  her  from  me  ?  She  said,  "  No ;  no  more  than  I 
am  now.  I  could  trust  God  for  you,  as  well  as  for 
myself.  From  the  beginning  I  had  a  full  persuasion 
that  God  would  deliver  you.  I  knew  not  how ;  but  I 
left  that  to  Him,  and  was  as  sure  as  if  it  were  already 
done."  I  asked,  if  the  report  was  true  that  she  had 
fought  for  me.  She  said,  "  No ;  I  knew  God  would 
fight  for  His  children."  And  shall  these  souls  perish 
at  the  last  ? 

When  I  came  back  to  Francis  Ward's  I  found  many 
of  our  brethren  waiting  upon  God.  Many  also  whom  I 
never  had  seen  before  came  to  rejoice  with  us.  And 


Oct.  1743     "  A  GREAT  CURIOSITY  » 


121 


the  next  morning,  as  I  rode  through  the  town  in  my 
way  to  Nottingham,  every  one  I  met  expressed  such  a 
cordial  affection,  that  I  could  scarce  believe  what  I  saw 
and  heard. 

The  Sleepy  Magistrates*  Proclamation 

I  cannot  close  this  head  without  inserting  as  great  a 
curiosity  in  its  kind  as,  I  believe,  was  ever  yet  seen  in 
England ;  which  had  its  birth  within  a  very  few  days  of 
this  remarkable  occurrence  at  Walsal. 

"  Staffordshire. 
«•  To  all  High-Constables,  Petty-Constables,  and  other 
of  his  Majesty's  Peace  Officers,  within  the  said 
County,  and  particularly  to  the  Constable  of 
Tipton  "  (near  Walsal ) : 

"Whereas,  we,  his  Majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace 
for  the  said  County  of  Stafford,  have  received  informa- 
tion that  several  disorderly  persons,  styling  themselves 
Methodist  Preachers,  go  about  raising  routs  and  riots, 
to  the  great  damage  of  his  Majesty's  liege  people,  and 
against  the  peace  of  our  Sovereign  Lord  the  King  : 

"  These  are,  in  his  Majesty's  name,  to  command  you 
and  every  one  of  you,  within  your  respective  districts,  to 
make  diligent  search  after  the  said  Methodist  Preachers, 
and  to  bring  him  or  them  before  some  of  us  his  said 
Majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace,  to  be  examined  concern- 
ing their  unlawful  doings. 

«*  Given  under  our  hands  and  seals,  this  day 
of  October,  1743. 

"  J.  Lane. 

"  W.  Persehouse." 

N.B. — The  very  justices  to  whose  houses  I  was  carried, 
and  who  severally  refused  to  see  me  ! 


122  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1743 

Sat.  22. — I  rode  from  Nottingham  to  Ep worth,  and 
on  Monday  set  out  for  Grimsby  :  but  at  Ferry  we  were 
at  a  full  stop,  the  boatmen  telling  us  we  could  not  pass 
the  Trent ;  it  was  as  much  as  our  lives  were  worth  to 
put  from  shore  before  the  storm  abated.  We  waited  an 
hour;  but,  being  afraid  it  would  do  much  hurt,  if  I 
should  disappoint  the  congregation  at  Grimsby,  I  asked 
the  men  if  they  did  not  think  it  possible  to  get  to  the 
other  shore :  they  said,  they  could  not  tell ;  but  if  we 
would  venture  our  lives,  they  would  venture  theirs.  So 
we  put  off,  having  six  men,  two  women,  and  three 
horses,  in  the  boat. 

Wesley  Nearly  Drowned 

Many  stood  looking  after  us  on  the  river-side,  in  the 
middle  of  which  we  were,  when,  in  an  instant,  the  side 
of  the  boat  was  under  water,  and  the  horses  and  men 
rolling  one  over  another.  We  expected  the  boat  to 
sink  every  moment ;  but  I  did  not  doubt  of  being  able 
to  swim  ashore.  The  boatmen  were  amazed  as  well  as 
the  rest ;  but  they  quickly  recovered  and  rowed  for  life. 
And  soon  after,  our  horses  leaping  overboard,  lightened 
the  boat,  and  we  all  came  unhurt  to  land. 

They  wondered  what  was  the  matter  I  did  not  rise 
(for  I  lay  along  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat),  and  I 
wondered  too,  till,  upon  examination,  I  found  that  a 
large  iron  crow,  which  the  boatmen  sometimes  used, 
was  (none  knew  how)  run  through  the  string  of  my 
boot,  which  pinned  me  down  that  I  could  not  stir ;  so 
that  if  the  boat  had  sunk,  I  should  have  been  safe 
enough  from  swimming  any  further. 

The  same  day,  and,  as  near  as  we  could  judge,  the 
same  hour,  the  boat  in  which  my  brother  was  crossing 
the  Severn,  at  the  New  Passage,  was  carried  away  by 


Nov.  1743  METHODISM  ON  THE  STAGE  123 


the  wind,  and  in  the  utmost  danger  of  splitting  upon 
the  rocks.  But  the  same  God,  when  all  human  hope 
was  past,  delivered  them  as  well  as  us. 

Methodism  on  the  Stage 

Mon.  31. — We  set  out  early  in  the  morning,  and  in 
the  evening  came  to  Newcastle. 

Wed.  November  2. — The  following  advertisement  was 
published : 

FOR  THE  BENEFIT  OF  MR.  ESTE. 

By  the  Edinburgh  Company  of  Comedians,  on  Friday,  November  4, 
will  be  acted  a  Comedy,  called, 

THE  CONSCIOUS  LOVERS; 

To  which  will  be  added  a  Farce,  called, 

TRICK  UPON  TRICK,  or  METHODISM  DISPLAYED 

On  Friday,  a  vast  multitude  of  spectators  were  assem- 
bled in  the  Moot  Hall  to  see  this.  It  was  believed 
there  could  not  be  less  than  fifteen  hundred  people, 
some  hundreds  of  whom  sat  on  rows  of  seats  built  upon 
the  stage.  Soon  after  the  comedians  had  begun  the 
first  act  of  the  play,  on  a  sudden  all  those  seats  fell 
down  at  once,  the  supporters  of  them  breaking  like  a 
rotten  stick.  The  people  were  thrown  one  upon  another, 
about  five  foot  forward,  but  not  one  of  them  hurt. 
After  a  short  time  the  rest  of  the  spectators  were  quiet, 
and  the  actors  went  on.  In  the  middle  of  the  second 
act,  all  the  shilling  seats  gave  a  crack,  and  sunk  several 
inches  down.  A  great  noise  and  shrieking  followed; 
and  as  many  as  could  readily  get  to  the  door,  went  out, 
and  returned  no  more.  Notwithstanding  this,  when  the 
noise  was  over,  the  actors  went  on  with  the  play. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  third  act  the  entire  stage 
suddenly  sunk  about  six  inches :  the  players  retired 


124  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1744 

with  great  precipitation;  yet  in  a  while  they  began 
again.  At  the  latter  end  of  the  third  act,  all  the 
sixpenny  seats,  without  any  kind  of  notice,  fell  to  the 
ground.  There  ^ was  now  a  cry  on  every  side;  it 
being  supposed  that  many  were  crushed  in  pieces  :  but, 
upon  inquiry,  not  a  single  person  (such  was  the  mercy 
of  God  !)  was  either  killed  or  dangerously  hurt.  Two  or 
three  hundred  remaining  still  in  the  hall,  Mr.  Este  (who 
was  to  act  the  Methodist)  came  upon  the  stage  and  told 
them,  for  all  this  he  was  resolved  the  farce  should  be 
acted.  While  he  was  speaking,  the  stage  sunk  six 
inches  more;  on  which  he  ran  back  in  the  utmost 
confusion,  and  the  people  as  fast  as  they  could  out  of 
the  door,  none  staying  to  look  behind  him. 

Which  is  most  surprising — that  those  players  acted 
this  farce  the  next  week — or  that  some  hundreds  of 
people  came  again  to  see  it  ? 

The  First  Conference 
1744.    Hon.  June  18. — I  left  Epworthj  and  on 
Wednesday,  20,  in  the  afternoon,  met  my  brother  in 
London. 

Monday,  25,  and  the  five  following  days,  we  spent  in 
conference  with  many  of  our  brethren  (come  from  several 
parts),  who  desire  nothing  but  to  save  their  own  souls, 
and  those  who  hear  them.  And  surely,  as  long  as  they 
continue  thus  minded,  their  labour  shall  not  be  in  vain 
in  the  Lord. 

The  next  day  we  endeavoured  to  purge  the  society  of 
all  that  did  not  walk  according  to  the  Gospel.  By  this 
means  we  reduced  the  number  of  members  to  less  than 
nineteen  hundred.  But  number  is  an  inconsiderable 
circumstance.  May  God  increase  them  in  faith  and 
love! 


Jan.  1 745     AT  ST.  MARY'S,  OXFORD  125 

Fri.  Aug.  24. — (St.  Bartholomew's  day.)  I  preached, 
I  suppose  the  last  time,  at  St.  Mary's  [Oxford].  Be  it 
so.  I  am  now  clear  of  the  blood  of  these  men.  I  have 
fully  delivered  my  own  soul. 

The  Beadle  came  to  me  afterwards,  and  told  me  the 
Vice-Chancellor  had  sent  him  for  my  notes.  I  sent 
them  without  delay,  not  without  admiring  the  wise 
providence  of  God.  Perhaps  few  men  of  note  would 
have  given  a  sermon  £>f  mine  the  reading,  if  I  had  put 
t  into  their  hands;  but  by  this  means  it  came  to  be 
read,  probably  more  than  once,  by  every  man  of  eminence 
in  the  University. 

Wesley's  Chancery  Bill 

Thur.  Dec.  27. — I  called  on  the  solicitor  whom  I  had 
employed  in  the  suit  lately  commenced  in  Chancery; 
and  here  I  first  saw  that  foul  monster,  a  Chancery  bill ! 
A  scroll  it  was  of  foity-two  pages,  in  large  folio,  to  tell  a 
story  which  needed  not  to  have  taken  up  forty  lines  ! 
and  stuffed  with  such  stupid  senseless,  improbable  lies 
(many  of  them,  too,  quite  foreign  to  the  question)  as,  I 
believe,  would  have  cost  the  compiler  his  life  in  any 
heathen  court  of  either  Greece  or  Rome.  And  this  is 
equity  in  a  Christian  country  !  This  is  the  English 
method  of  redressing  other  grievances  ! 

1745.  Sat.  Jan.  5. — I  had  often  wondered  at  myself 
(and  sometimes  mentioned  it  to  others),  that  ten  thou- 
sand cares,  of  various  kinds,  were  no  more  weight  and 
burden  to  niy  mind,  than  ten  thousand  hairs  were  to  my 
head.  Perhaps  I  began  to  ascribe  something  of  this  to 
my  own  strength.  And  thence  it  might  be,  that  on 
Sunday,  13,  that  strength  was  withheld,  and  I  felt  what 
it  was  to  be  troubled  about  many  things.  One,  and 
another,  hurrying  me  continually,  it  seized  upon  my  spirit 


126  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL     March  174; 

more  and  more,  till  I  found  it  absolutely  necessary  to  fly 
for  my  life ;  and  that  without  delay.  So  the  next  day, 
Monday,  14,  I  took  horse,  and  rode  away  for  Bristol. 

Between  Bath  and  Bristol  I  was  earnestly  desired  to 
turn  aside,  and  ca'll  at  the  house  of  a  poor  man,  William 
Shalwood.  I  found  him  and  his  wife  sick  in  one  bed, 
and  with  small  hopes  of  the  recovery  of  either.  Yet 
(after  prayer)  I  believed  they  would  "  not  die,  but  live, 
and  declare  the  loving-kindness  of  the  Lord."  The  next 
time  I  called  he  was  sitting  below  stairs,  and  his  wife 
able  to  go  abroad. 

As  soon  as  we  came  into  the  house  at  Bristol,  my  soul 
was  lightened  of  her  load,  of  that  insufferable  weight 
which  had  Iain  upon  my  mind,  more  or  less,  for  several 
days.  On  Sunday,  several  of  our  friends  from  Wales, 
and  other  parts,  joined  with  us  in  the  great  sacrifice  ot 
thanksgiving.  And  every  day  we  found  more  and  more 
cause  to  praise  God,  and  to  give  him  thanks  for  His  still 
increasing  benefits. 

Mon.  Feb.  18. — I  set  out  with  Richard  Moss  from 
London  for  Newcastle. 

Wesley's  Effective  Letter 

Sun.  March  3. — As  I  was  walking  up  Pilgrim-street, 
hearing  a  man  call  after  me,  I  stood  still.  He  came  up, 
and  used  much  abusive  language,  intermixed  with  many 
oaths  and  curses.  Several  people  came  out  to  see  what 
was  the  matter ;  on  which  he  pushed  me  twice  or  thrice, 
and  went  away. 

Upon  inquiry,  I  found  this  man  had  signalized  him- 
self a  long  season,  by  abusing  and  throwing  stones  at 
any  ot  our  family  who  went  that  way.  Therefore  I  would 
not  lose  the  opportunity,  but  on  Monday,  4,  sent  hinj 
the  lollowing  note : 


June  1745  THE  PRESS  GANG 


12? 


"  Robert  Young, — I  expect  to  see  you,  between 
this  and  Friday,  and  to  hear  from  you,  that  you  are 
sensible  of  your  fault ;  otherwise,  in  pity  to  your  soul,  I 
shall  be  obliged  to  inform  the  magistrates  of  your  as- 
saulting me  yesterday  in  the  street. 

"  I  am, 

"  Your  real  friend, 

"  John  Wesley." 

Within  two  or  three  hours,  Robert  Young  came  and 
promised  a  quite  different  behaviour.  So  did  this 
gentle  reproof,  if  not  save  a  soul  from  death,  yet  prevent 
a  multitude  of  sins. 

Sat.  April  6. — Mr.  Stephenson,  of  whom  I  bought 
the  ground  on  which  our  house  is  built,  came  at  length, 
after  delaying  it  more  than  two  years,  and  executed  the 
writings.  So  I  am  freed  from  one  more  care.  May  I 
in  every  thing  make  known  my  request  to  God  1 

Press  Gang  and  Methodists 
Wed.  June  19  (Redruth). — Being  informed  here  of 
what  had  befallen  Mr.  Maxfield,  we  turned  aside  toward 
Crowan  church-town.  But  in  the  way  we  received 
information,  that  he  had  been  removed  from  thence  the 
night  before.  It  seems,  the  valiant  constables  who 
guarded  him,  having  received  timely  notice,  that  a  body 
of  five  hundred  Methodists  were  coming  to  take  him 
away  by  force,  had,  with  great  precipitation,  carried  him 
two  miles  further,  to  the  house  of  one  Henry  Tomkins. 

Here  we  found  him,  nothing  terrified  by  his  adver- 
saries. I  desired  Henry  Tomkins  to  show  me  the 
warrant.  It  was  directed  by  Dr.  Borlase,  and  his 
father,  and  Mr.  Eustick,  to  the  constables  and  over- 
seers of  several  parishes,  requiring  them  to  "  apprehend 


128  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1745 

all  such  able-bodied  men  as  had  no  lawful  calling  or 
sufficient  maintenance  " ;  and  to  bring  them  before  the 
aforesaid  gentlemen  at  Marazion,  on  Friday,  21,  to  be 
examined,  whether  they  were  proper  persons  to  serve 
his  Majesty  in  the  land-service. 

It  was  indorsed,  by  the  steward  of  Sir  John  St. 
Aubyn,  with  the  names  of  seven  or  eight  persons,  most 
of  whom  were  well  known  to  have  lawful  callings,  and  a 
sufficient  maintenance  thereby.  But  that  was  all  one : 
they  were  called  "  Methodists  " ;  therefore,  soldiers  they 
must  be.  Underneath  was  added,  "A  person,  his  name 
unknown,  who  disturbs  the  peace  of  the  parish." 

A  word  to  the  wise.  The  good  men  easily  under- 
stood, this  could  be  none  but  the  Methodist  Preacher ; 
for  who  "  disturbs  the  peace  of  the  parish  "  Hke  one  who 
tells  all  drunkards,  whoremongers,  and  common  swearers, 
"  You  are  in  the  high  road  to  hell"  ? 

When  we  came  out  of  the  house,  forty  or  fifty  myrmi- 
dons stood  ready  to  receive  us.  But  I  turned  full  upon 
them,  and  their  courage  failed  :  nor  did  they  recover  till 
we  were  at  some  distance.  Then  they  began  blustering 
again,  and  throwing  stones ;  one  of  which  struck  Mr. 
Thompson's  servant. 

Fri.  21. — We  rode  to  Marazion.  (Vulgarly  called 
MaikLt-jew.)  Finding  the  justices  were  not  met,  we 
walked  up  St.  Michael's  Mount.  The  house  at  the  top 
is  surprisingly  large  and  pleasant.  Sir  John  St.  Aubyn 
had  taken  much  pains,  and  been  at  a  considerable  ex- 
pense, in  repairing  and  beautifying  the  apartments  ;  and 
when  the  seat  was  finished,  the  owner  died ! 

About  two,  Mr.  Thompson  and  I  went  into  the  room 
where  the  justices  and  commissioners  were.  After  a 
few  minutes,  Dr.  Borlase  stood  up  and  asked,  whether 
we  had  any  business.    I  told  him,  "We  have."  We 


June  1745      BEFORE  THE  JUSTICES 


129 


desired  to  be  heard  concerning  one  who  was  lately 
apprehended  at  Crovvan.  He  said,  "  Gentlemen,  the 
business  of  Crowan  does  not  come  on  yet.  You 
shall  be  sent  for  when  it  does."  So  we  retired, 
and  waited  in  another  room,  till  after  nine  o'clock. 
They  delayed  the  affair  of  Mr.  Maxfield  (as  we  imagined 
they  would)  to  the  very  last.  About  nine  he  was 
called.  I  would  have  gone  in  then ;  but  Mr.  Thomp- 
son advised  to  wait  a  little  longer.  The  next  informa- 
tion we  received  was,  that  they  had  sentenced  him  to 
go  for  a  soldier.  Hearing  this,  we  went  straight  to 
the  commission  chamber.  But  the  honourable  gentle- 
men were  gone. 

They  had  ordered  Mr.  Maxfield  to  be  immediately 
put  on  board  a  boat,  and  carried  for  Penzance.  We 
were  informed,  they  had  first  offered  him  to  a  Captain 
of  a  man-of-war,  that  was  just  come  into  the  harbour. 
But  he  answered,  "  I  have  no  authority  to  take  such 
men  as  these,  unless  you  would  have  me  give  him  so 
much  a  week,  to  preach  and  pray  to  my  people." 

Reading  the  Riot  Act 

Sat.  22. — We  reached  St.  Ives  about  two  in  the  morn- 
ing. At  five  I  preached  on,  "  Love  your  enemies " ; 
and  at  Gwennap,  in  the  evening,  on,  "  All  that  will  live 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution." 

We  heard  to-day,  that  as  soon  as  Mr.  Maxfield  came 
to  Penzance,  they  put  him  down  into  the  dungeon ;  and 
that  the  mayor  being  inclined  to  let  him  go.  Dr.  Borlase 
had  gone  thither  on  purpose,  and  had  himself  read  the 
Articles  of  War  in  the  court,  and  delivered  him  to  one 
who  was  to  act  as  an  officer. 

Sat.  29. — I  preached  at  St.  Just  again,  and  at  Morva 
and  Zennor  on  Sunday,  30.    About  six  in  the  evening, 

I 


ISO  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        July  1745 

I  began  preaching  at  St.  Ives,  in  the  street,  near  John 
Nance's  door.  A  multitude  of  people  were  quickly 
assembled,  both  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor;  and  I 
observed  not  any  creature  to  laugh  or  smile,  or  hardly 
move  hand  or  /oot.  I  expounded  the  Gospel  for  the 
day,  beginning  with,  "  Then  drew  near  all  the  publicans 
and  sinners  for  to  hear  Him."  A  little  before  seven  came 
Mr.  Edwards  from  the  mayor,  and  ordered  one  to  read 
the  proclamation  against  riots.  I  concluded  quickly 
after ;  but  the  body  of  the  people  appeared  utterly  un- 
satisfied, not  knowing  how  to  go  away.  Forty  or  fifty  of 
them  begged  they  might  be  present  at  the  meeting  of  the 
society ;  and  we  rejoiced  together  for  an  hour  in  such  a 
manner  as  I  had  never  known  before  in  Cornwall. 

Tues.  July  2. — I  preached  in  the  evening  at  St.  Just. 
I  observed  not  only  several  gentlemen  there,  who  I  sup- 
pose never  came  before,  but  a  large  body  of  tinners,  who 
stood  at  a  distance  from  the  rest ;  and  a  great  multitude 
of  men,  women,  and  children,  beside,  who  seemed  not 
well  to  know  why  they  came.  Almost  as  soon  as  we 
had  done  singing,  a  kind  of  gentlewoman  began.  I  have 
seldom  seen  a  poor  creature  take  so  much  pains.  She 
scolded,  and  screamed,  and  spit  and  stamped,  and  wrung 
her  hands,  and  distorted  her  face  and  body  all  manner 
of  ways.  I  took  no  notice  of  her  at  all,  good  or  bad ; 
nor  did  almost  any  one  else.  Afterwards  I  heard  she 
was  one  that  had  been  bred  a  Papist;  and  when  she 
heard  we  were  so,  rejoiced  greatly.  No  wonder  she 
would  be  proportionably  angry,  when  she  was  disap- 
pointed of  her  hope. 

Mr.  Eustick,  a  neighbouring  gentleman,  came,  just  as 
I  was  concluding  my  sermon.  The  people  opening  to 
the  right  and  left,  he  came  up  to  me,  and  said,  "  Sir,  I 
have  a  warrant  from  Dr.  Borlase,  and  you  must  go  with 


JjLY  17+5       SEIZED  FOR  SOLDIER  131 

me."  Then,  turning  round,  he  said,  "  Sir,  are  you  Mr. 
Shepherd  ?  If  so,  you  are  mentioned  in  tlie  warrant  too. 
Be  pleased.  Sir,  to  come  with  me."  We  walked  with 
him  to  a  public-house,  near  the  end  of  the  town.  Here 
he  asked  ine,  if  I  was  willing  to  go  with  him  to  the 
doctor.  I  told  him,  just  then,  if  he  pleased.  "  Sir," 
said  he,  "  I  must  wait  upon  you  to  your  inn ;  and  in  the 
morning,  if  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  go  with  me,  I  will 
show  you  the  way."  So  he  handed  me  back  to  my  inn 
and  retired. 

Wesley  Seized  for  Soldier 
Wed.  3. — I  waited  till  nine;  but  no  Mr.  Eustick 
came.  I  then  desired  Mr.  Shepherd  to  go  and  inquire 
for  him  at  the  house  wherein  he  had  lodged ;  he  met 
him,  coming,  as  he  thought,  to  our  inn  But  after  wait- 
ing some  time,  we  inquired  again,  and  learned  he  had 
turned  aside  to  another  house  in  the  town.  I  went 
thither,  and  asked,  "  Is  Mr.  Eustick  here  ?  "  After  some 
pause,  one  said,  "  Yes  " ;  and  showed  me  into  the  parlour. 
When  he  came  down,  he  said,  "  O  Sir,  will  you  be  so 
good  as  to  go  with  me  to  the  doctor's  ?  "  I  answered, 
"Sir,  I  came  for  that  purpose."  "  Are  you  ready.  Sir?" 
I  answered,  "  Yes."  "  Sir,  I  am  not  quite  ready.  In  a 
little  time,  Sir,  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  I  will  wait 
upon  you.    I  will  come  to  William  Chenhall's." 

In  about  three  quarters  of  an  hour  he  came,  and  finding 
there  was  no  remedy,  he  called  for  his  horse,  and  put 
forward  tov\-ards  Dr.  Borlase's  house ;  but  he  was  in  no 
hasti;  so  that  we  were  an  hour  and  a  quarter  riding 
three  or  four  measured  miles.  As  soon  as  we  came  into 
the  yard,  he  asked  a  servant,  "  Is  the  doctor  at  home  ?  " 
upon  whose  answering,  "  No,  Sir,  he  is  gone  to  church  "; 
he  presently  said,  "  Well,  Sir,  I  have  executed  my 


132  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1745 

commission.  I  have  done,  Sir;  I  have  no  more  to 
say." 

About  noon  Mr.  Shepherd  and  I  reached  St.  Ives. 
After  a  few  hours'  rest,  we  rode  to  Gwennap.  Finding 
the  house  would  ^not  contain  one  fourth  of  the  people,  I 
stood  before  the  door.  I  was  reading  my  text,  when  a 
man  came,  raging  as  if  just  broke  out  of  the  tombs ;  and, 
riding  into  the  thickest  of  the  people,  seized  three  or 
four,  one  after  another,  none  lifting  up  a  hand  against 
him.  A  second  (gentleman,  so  called)  soon  came  after, 
if  possible,  more  furious  than  he ;  and  ordered  his  men 
to  seize  on  some  others,  Mr.  Shepherd  in  particular. 
Most  of  the  people,  however,  stood  still  as  they  were 
before,  and  began  singing  an  hymn. 

Upon  this  Mr.  B.  lost  all  patience,  and  cried  out  with 
all  his  might,  "  Seize  him,  seize  him.  I  say,  seize  the 
Preacher  for  his  Majesty's  service."  But  no  one  stirring, 
he  rode  up  and  struck  several  of  his  attendants,  cursing 
them  bitterly  for  not  doing  as  they  were  bid.  Perceiving 
still  that  they  would  not  move,  he  leaped  off  his  horse, 
swore  he  would  do  it  himself,  and  caught  hold  of  my 
cassock,  crying,  "  I  take  you  to  serve  his  Majesty."  A 
servant  taking  his  horse,  he  took  me  by  the  arm,  and  we 
walked  arm  in  arm  for  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile. 
He  entertained  me  all  the  time,  with  the  "  wickedness 
of  the  fellows  belonging  to  the  society."  When  he  was 
taking  breath,  I  said,  "  Sir,  be  they  what  they  will,  I 
apprehend  it  will  not  justify  you,  in  seizing  me  in  this 
manner,  and  violently  carrying  me  away,  as  you  said,  to 
serve  his  Majesty."  He  replied,  "I  seize  you!  And 
violently  carry  you  away  !  No,  Sir,  no.  Nothing  like 
it.  I  asked  you  to  go  with  me  to  my  house,  and  you 
said  you  was  willing ;  and  if  so,  you  are  welcome ;  and 
if  not,  you  are  welcome  to  go  where  you  please."  I 


July  1745      MOBBED  IN  CORNWALL 


133 


answered,  "  Sir,  I  know  not  if  it  would  be  safe  for  me  to 
go  back  through  this  rabble."  "  Sir,"  said  he,  "  I  will  go 
with  you  myself."  He  then  called  for  his  horse,  and 
another  for  me,  and  rode  back  with  me  to  the  place 
from  whence  he  took  me. 

Dramatic  Scenes  at  Falmouth 
Thur.  4. — I  rode  to  Falmouth.  About  three  in  the 
afternoon  I  went  to  see  a  gentlewoman  who  had  been 
long  indisposed.  Almost  as  soon  as  I  sat  down,  the 
house  was  beset  on  all  sides  by  an  innumerable  multitude 
of  people.  A  louder  or  more  confused  noise  could  hardly 
be  at  the  taking  of  a  city  by  storm.  At  first  Mrs.  B.  and 
her  daughter  endeavoured  to  quiet  them.  But  it  was 
labour  lost.  They  might  as  well  have  attempted  to  still 
the  raging  of  the  sea.  They  were  soon  glad  to  shift  for 
themselves,  and  leave  K.  E.  and  me  to  do  as  well  as  we 
could.  The  rabble  roared  with  all  their  throats,  "  Bring 
out  the  Canorum  !  Where  is  the  Canorum  ?  "  (an  un- 
meaning word  which  the  Cornish  generally  use  instead 
of  Methodist). 

No  answer  being  given,  they  quickly  forced  open  the 
outer  door,  and  filled  the  passage.  Only  a  wainscot- 
partition  was  between  us,  which  was  not  likely  to  stand 
long.  I  immediately  took  down  a  large  looking-glass 
which  hung  against  it,  supposing  the  whole  side  would 
fall  in  at  once.  AVhen  they  began  their  work  with  abun- 
dance of  bitter  imprecations,  poor  Kitty  was  utterly  aston- 
ished, and  cried  out,  "  O  Sir,  what  must  we  do  ?  "  I  said, 
*'  We  must  pray."  Indeed  at  that  time,  to  all  appearance, 
our  lives  were  not  worth  an  hour's  purchase.  She  asked, 
"  But,  Sir,  is  it  not  better  for  you  to  hide  yourself  ?  to 
get  into  the  closet  ?  "  I  answered,  "  No.  It  is  best  for 
me  to  stand  just  where  I  am."    Among  those  without, 


134 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1745 


were  the  crews  of  some  privateers,  which  were  lately 
come  into  harbour.  Some  of  these,  being  angry  at  the 
slowness  of  the  rest,  thrust  them  away,  and,  coming  up 
all  together,  set  their  shoulders  to  the  inner  door,  and 
cried  out,  "  Avast,  lads,  avast !  "  Away  went  all  the 
hinges  at  once,  and  the  door  fell  back  into  the  room. 

I  stepped  forward  at  once  into  the  midst  of  them,  and 
said,  "  Here  I  am.  Which  of  you  has  anything  to  say 
to  me.  To  which  of  you  have  I  done  any  wrong  ?  To 
you?  Or  you?  Or  you?"  I  continued  speaking  till 
I  came,  bare-headed  as  I  was  (for  I  purposely  left  my 
hat  that  they  might  all  see  my  face),  into  the  middle  of 
the  street,  and  then  raising  my  voice,  said,  "  Neighbours, 
countrymen  1  Do  you  desire  to  hear  me  speak  ?  "  They 
cried  vehemently,  "  Yes,  yes.  He  shall  speak.  He  shall. 
Nobody  shall  hinder  him."  But  having  nothing  to  stand 
on,  and  no  advantage  of  ground,  I  could  be  heard  by 
few  only.  However,  I  spoke  without  intermission,  and, 
as  far  as  the  sound  reached,  the  people  were  still ;  till 
one  or  two  of  their  captains  turned  about  and  swore, 
not  a  man  should  touch  him. 

Mr.  Thomas,  a  clergyman,  then  came  up,  and  asked, 
"  Are  you  not  ashamed  to  use  a  stranger  thus  ?  "  He 
was  soon  seconded  by  two  or  three  gentlemen  of  the 
town,  and  one  of  the  aldermen  ;  with  whom  I  walked 
down  the  town,  speaking  all  the  time,  till  I  came  to 
Mrs.  Maddern's  house.  The  gentlemen  proposed  send- 
ing- for  my  horse  to  the  door,  and  desired  me  to  step  in 
and  rest  the  mean  time.  But,  on  second  thoughts, 
they  judged  it  not  advisable  to  let  me  go  out  among 
the  people  again :  so  they  chose  to  send  my  horse 
before  me  to  Fenryn,  and  to  send  me  thither  by  water ; 
the  sea  running  close  by  the  back-door  of  the  house  in 
which  we  were. 


■July  1745  ESCAPES  BY  BOAT  135 

I  never  saw  before,  no,  not  at  Walsal  itself,  the  hand 
of  God  so  plainly  shown  as  here.  There  I  had  many 
companions  who  were  willing  to  die  with  me :  here,  not 
a  friend,  but  one  simple  girl,  who  likewise  was  hurried 
away  from  me  in  an  instant,  as  soon  as  ever  she  came 
out  of  Mrs.  B.'s  door.  There  I  received  some  blows, 
lost  part  of  my  clothes,  and  was  covered  over  with  dirt : 
here,  although  the  hands  of  perhaps  some  hundreds  of 
people  were  lifted  up  to  strike  or  throw,  yet  they  were 
one  and  all  stopped  in  the  mid-way  ;  so  that  not  a 
man  touched  me  with  one  of  his  fingers ;  neither  was 
anything  thrown  from  first  to  last  ;  so  that  I  had  not 
even  a  speck  of  dirt  on  my  clothes.  Who  can  deny 
that  God  heareth  the  prayer,  or  that  He  hath  all  power 
in  heaven  and  earth  ? 

**1  Am  John  Wesley** 

I  took  boat  at  about  half  an  hour  past  five.  Many 
of  the  mob  waited  at  the  end  of  the  town,  who,  seeing 
me  escaped  out  of  their  hands,  could  only  revenge 
themselves  with  their  tongues.  But  a  few  of  the 
fiercest  ran  along  the  shore,  to  receive  me  at  my  land- 
ing. I  walked  up  the  steep  narrow  passage  from  the 
sea,  at  the  top  of  which  the  foremost  man  stood.  I 
looked  him-  in  the  face,  and  said,  "  I  wish  you  a  good 
night."  He  spake  not,  nor  moved  hand  or  foot  till  I 
was  on  horseback.  Then  he  said,  "  I  wish  you  was  in 
hell,"  and  turned  back  to  his  companions. 

As  soon  as  I  came  within  sight  of  Tolcarn  (in 
Wendron  parish),  where  I  was  to  preach  in  the  evening, 
I  was  met  by  many,  running  as  it  were  for  their  lives, 
and  begging  me  to  go  no  further.  I  asked,  « Why 
not  ?  "  They  said,  "  The  churchwardens  and  con 
stables,  and  all  the  heads  of  the  parish,  are  waiting 


136  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        July  1745- 


for  you  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  are  resolved  to  have 
you  :  they  have  a  special  warrant  from  the  justices  met 
at  Helstone,  who  will  stay  there  till  you  are  brought." 
I  rode  directly  up  the  hill,  and  observing  four  or  five 
horsemen,  well  dressed,  went  straight  to  them,  and  said, 
"  Gentlemen,  has  any  of  you  anything  to  say  to  me  ? — • 
I  am  John  Wesley." 

One  of  them  appeared  extremely  angry  at  this, 
that  I  should  presume  to  say  I  was  "  Mr.  John  Wes- 
ley." And  I  know  not  how  I  might  have  fared  for 
advancing  so  bold  an  assertion,  but  that  Mr.  Collins, 
the  minister  of  Redruth  (accidently,  as  he  said)  came 
by.  Upon  his  accosting  me,  and  saying  he  knew  me  at 
Oxford,  my  first  antagonist  was  silent,  and  a  dispute  of 
another  kind  began  :  whether  this  preaching  had  done 
any  good.  I  appealed  to  matter  of  fact.  He  allowed 
(after  many  words),  "  People  are  the  better  for  the 
present  " ;  but  added,  "  To  be  sure,  by  and  by  they  will 
be  as  bad,  if  not  worse  than  ever." 

When  he  rode  away,  one  of  the  riders  said,  "  Sir,  I 
would  speak  with  you  a  little;  let  us  ride  to  the  gate." 
We  did  so,  and  he  said,  "  Sir,  I  will  tell  you  the 
ground  of  this.  All  the  gentlemen  of  these  parts  say, 
that  you  have  been  a  long  time  in  France  and  Spain, 
and  are  now  sent  hither  by  the  Pretender ;  and  that 
these  societies  are  to  join  him."  Nay,  surely  "  all 
the  gentlemen  in  these  parts  "  will  not  lie  against  their 
own  conscience ! 

I  rode  hence  to  a  friend's  house,  some  miles  off,  and 
found  the  sleep  of  a  labouring  man  is  sweet.  I  was 
informed  there  were  many  here  also  who  had  an  earnest 
desire  to  hear  "  this  preaching,"  but  they  did  not  dare ; 

Sir   V  n  having  solemnly  declared,  nay,  and 

that  in  the  face  of  the  whole  congregation,  as  they  wer^ 


July  17+5     PUSHED  FROM  A  WALL  1,37 


coming  out  of  church,  "  If  any  man  of  this  parish 
dares  hear  these  fellows,  he  shall  not  come  to  my  Christ- 
mas-feast ! " 

Sat.  6. — I  rode  with  Mr.  Shepherd  to  Gwennap. 
Here  also  we  found  the  people  in  the  utmost  consterna- 
tion. Word  was  brought,  that  a  great  company  of 
tinners,  made  drunk  on  purpose,  were  coming  to  do 
terrible  things.  I  laboured  much  to  compose  their 
minds :  but  fear  had  no  ears ;  so  that  abundance  of 
people  went  away.  I  preached  to  the  rest,  on,  "  Love 
your  enemies."  The  event  showed  this  also  was  a  false 
alarm,  an  artifice  of  the  devil,  to  hinder  men  from 
hearing  the  word  of  God. 

Wesley  Pushed  from  a  High  Wall 
Sun.  7. — I  preached,  at  five,  to  a  quiet  congregation, 
and  about  eight,  at  Stithians.  Between  six  and  seven 
in  the  evening  we  came  to  Tolcarn.  Hearing  the  mob 
was  rising  again,  I  began  preaching  immediately.  I 
had  not  spoke  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  they  came  in 
view.  One  Mr.  Trounce  rode  up  first,  and  began 
speaking  to  me,  wherein  he  was  roughly  interrupted  by 
his  companions.  Yet,  as  I  stood  on  a  high  wall,  and 
kept  my  eyes  upon  thern,  many  were  softened,  and  grew 
calmer  and  calmer;  which  some  of  their  champions 
observing,  went  round  and  suddenly  pushed  me  down. 
I  light  on  my  feet,  without  any  hurt ;  and  finding  myself 
close  to  the  warmest  of  the  horsemen,  I  took  hold  of  his 
hand  and  held  it  fast,  while  I  expostulated  the  case. 
As  for  being  convinced,  he  was  quite  above  it:  however, 
both  he  and  his  fellows  grew  much  milder,  and  we 
parted  very  civilly. 

Mon.  8. — I  preached  at  five,  on,  "  Watch  and  pray," 
to  a  quiet  and  earnest  congregation.    We  then  rode  OU 


138  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Sept.  1745 

to  St.  Ives,  the  most  still  and  honourable  post  (so  are 
the  times  changed)  which  we  have  in  Cornwall. 

Tues.  9. — I  had  just  begun  preaching  at  St.  Just, 
when  Mr.  E.  came  once  more,  took  me  by  the  hand, 
and  said,  I  must  go  with  him.  To  avoid  making  a 
tumult,  I  went.  He  said,  I  had  promised,  last  week, 
not  to  come  again  to  St.  Just  for  a  month.  I  absolutely 
denied  the  having  made  any  such  promise.  After  about 
half  an  hour,  he  handed  me  back  to  my  inn. 

Riot  Act  and  a  Sermon 

Wed.  10. — In  the  evening  I  began  to  expound  (at 
Trevonan,  in  Morva),  "  Ho !  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters."  In  less  than  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  the  constable  and  his  companions  came,  and  read 
the  proclamation  against  riots.  When  he  had  done,  I 
told  him,  "  We  will  do  as  you  require :  we  will  disperse 
within  an  hour  " ;  and  went  on  with  my  sermon.  After 
preaching,  I  had  designed  to  meet  the  society  alone. 
But  many  others  also  followed  with  such  earnestness, 
that  I  could  not  turn  them  back :  so  I  exhorted  them 
all,  to  love  their  enemies,  as  Christ  hath  loved  us. 
They  felt  what  was  spoken. 

Thur.  25. — I  came  back  safe,  blessed  be  God,  to 
Bristol.  I  found  both  my  soul  and  body  much  re- 
freshed in  this  peaceful  place.  Thursday,  August  i, 
and  the  following  days,  we  had  our  second  Conference, 
with  as  many  of  our  brethren  that  labour  in  the  word  as 
could  be  present. 

Pelted  by  the  Mob  at  Leeds 
Mon.  Sept.  9. — I  left  London,  and  the  next  morning 
called  on  Dr.  Doddridge,  at  Northampton.     It  was 
about  the  hour  when  he  was  accustomed  to  expound  a 


Sept.  1745      NEWCASTLE  IN  ARMS  139 

portion  of  Scripture  to  young  gentlemen  under  his  care. 
He  desired  me  to  take  his  place.  It  may  be  the  seed 
was  not  altogether  sown  in  vain. 

Thur.  12. — I  came  to  Leeds,  preached  at  five,  and  at 
eight  met  the  society  ;  after  which  the  mob  pelted  us 
with  dirt  and  stones  great  part  of  the  way  home.  The 
congregation  was  much  larger  next  evening  ;  and  so  was 
the  mob  at  our  return,  and  likewise  in  higher  spirits, 
being  ready  to  knock  out  all  our  brains  for  joy  that  the 
Duke  of  Tuscany  was  Emperor.  What  a  melancholy 
consideration  is  this !  that  the  bulk  of  the  English 
nation  will  not  suffer  God  to  give  them  the  blessings  he 
would  ;  because  they  would  turn  them  into  curses.  He 
cannot,  for  instance,  give  them  success  against  their 
enemies ;  for  they  would  tear  their  own  countrymen 
in  pieces  :  he  cannot  trust  them  with  victory,  lest  they 
should  thank  him  by  murdering  those  that  are  quiet  in 
the  land. 

Great  Excitement  at  Newcastle 
Wed.  18. — About  five  we  came  to  Newcastle,  in  an 
acceptable  time.  We  found  the  generality  of  the  inha- 
bitants in  the  utmost  consternation  ;  news  being  just 
arrived,  that,  the  morning  before,  at  two  o'clock,  the 
Pretender  had  entered  Edinburgh.  A  great  concourse 
of  people  were  with  us  in  the  evening,  to  whom  I 
expounded  the  third  chapter  of  Jonah ;  insisting 
particularly  on  that  verse,  "  Who  can  tell,  if  God  will 
return,  and  repent,  and  turn  away  from  his  fierce  anger, 
that  we  perish  not  ?  " 

Thur.  19. — The  mayor  (Mr.  Ridley)  summoned  all 
the  householders  of  the  town  to  meet  him  at  the  town- 
hall  ;  and  desired  as  many  of  them  as  were  willing,  to 
set  their  hands  to  a  paper,  importing  that  they  would,  at 


140 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       Sept.  1745 


the  hazard  of  their  goods  and  lives,  defend  the  town 
against  the  common  enemy.  Fear  and  darkness  were 
now  on  every  side ;  but  not  on  those  who  had  seen  the 
light  of  God's  countenance.  We  rejoiced  together  in 
the  evening  wit'h  solemn  joy,  while  God  applied  those 
words  to  many  hearts,  "  Fear  not  ye ;  for  I  know  that  ye 
seek  Jesus  which  was  crucified." 

Fri.  20. — The  mayor  ordered  the  townsmen  to  be 
under  arms,  and  to  mount  guard  in  their  turns,  over 
and  above  the  guard  of  soldiers,  a  few  companies  of 
whom  had  been  drawn  into  the  town  on  the  first 
alarm.  Now,  also.  Pilgrim-street  gate  was  ordered  to  be 
walled  up.  Many  began  to  be  much  concerned  for  us, 
because  our  house  stood  without  the  walls.  Nay,  but 
the  Lord  is  a  wall  of  fire  unto  all  that  trust  in  him. 

I  had  desired  all  our  brethren  to  join  with  us  this  day 
in  seeking  God  by  fasting  and  prayer.  About  one  we 
met,  and  poured  out  our  souls  before  him;  and  we 
believed  he  would  send  an  answer  of  peace. 

Wesley's  Letter  to  the  Mayor 
Sat.  21. — The  same  day  the  action  was,  came  the 
news  of  General  Cope's  defeat.  Orders  were  now  given 
for  the  doubling  of  the  guard,  and  for  walling  up  Pandon 
and  Sally-port  gates.  In  the  afternoon  I  wrote  the 
following  letter : 

"  To  the  Worshipful  the  Mayor  of  Newcastle. 

"  Sir, — My  not  waiting  upon  you  at  the  town-hall  was 
not  owing  to  any  want  of  respect.  I  reverence  you  for 
your  office'  sake ;  and  much  more  for  your  zeal  in  the 
execution  of  it.  I  would  to  God  every  magistrate  in  the 
land  would  copy  after  such  an  example  !  Much  less 
was  it  owing  to  any  disaffection  to  his  Majesty  King 


Sept.  1745    WESLEY  AND  THE  MAYOR  141 


George.  But  I  knew  not  how  far  it  might  be  either 
necessary  or  proper  for  me  to  appear  on  such  an  occasion. 
I  have  no  fortune  at  Newcastle  :  I  have  only  the  bread 
I  eat,  and  the  use  of  a  little  room  for  a  few  weeks  in 
the  year. 

All  I  can  do  for  his  Majesty,  whom  I  honour  and 
love — -I  think  not  less  than  I  did  my  own  father — is 
this,  I  cry  unto  God,  day  by  day,  in  public  and  in 
private,  to  put  all  his  enemies  to  confusion  :  and  I 
exhort  all  that  hear  me  to  do  the  same  ;  and,  in  their 
several  stations,  to  exert  themselves  as  loyal  subjects; 
who,  so  long  as  they  fear  God,  cannot  but  honour  the 
King. 

"  Permit  me.  Sir,  to  add  a  few  words  more,  out  of  the 
fulness  of  my  heart.  I  am  persuaded  you  fear  God, 
and  have  a  deep  sense  that  His  Kingdom  ruleth  over 
all.  Unto  whom,  then  (I  may  ask  you),  should  we  flee 
for  succour,  but  unto  Him  whom,  by  our  sins,  we  have 
justly  displeased?  O,  Sir,  is  it  not  possible  to  give  any 
check  to  these  overflowings  of  ungodliness  ?  to  the 
open,  flagrant  wickedness,  the  drunkenness  and  profane- 
ness,  which  so  abound,  even  in  our  streets  ?  I  just  take 
leave  to  suggest  this.  May  the  God  whom  you  serve 
direct  you  in  this,  and  all  things  !  This  is  the  daily 
prayer  of,  Sir, 

*'  Your  obedient  servant,  for  Christ's  sake, 

"  J.  W." 

Preaching  under  Difficulties. 

Sun.  22. — The  walls  were  mounted  with  cannon,  and 
all  things  prepared  for  sustaining  an  assault.  Meantime 
our  poor  neighbours,  on  either  hand,  were  busy  in 
removing  their  goods.  And  most  of  the  best  houses  in 
our  street  were  left  without  either  furniture  or  inhabitants. 


14-2  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1745 

Those  within  the  walls  were  almost  equally  busy  in 
carrying  away  their  money  and  goods ;  and  more  and 
more  of  the  gentry  every  hour  rode  southward  as  fast  as 
they  could.  At  eight  I  preached  at  Gateshead,  in  a 
broad  part  of  tfie  street,  near  the  Popish  chapel,  on  the 
wisdom  of  God  in  governing  the  world.  How  do  all 
things  tend  to  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel ! 

AH  this  week  the  alarms  from  the  north  continued, 
and  the  storm  seemed  nearer  every  day.  Many  wondered 
we  would  still  stay  without  the  walls  :  others  told  us  we 
must  remove  quickly ;  for  if  the  cannon  began  to  play 
from  the  top  of  the  gates,  they  would  beat  all  the  house 
about  our  ears.  This  made  me  look  how  the  cannons 
on  the  gates  were  planted ;  and  I  could  not  but  adore 
the  providence  of  God,  for  it  was  obvious,  i.  They  were 
all  planted  in  such  a  manner,  that  no  shot  could  touch 
our  house.  2.  The  cannon  on  New-gate  so  secured  us 
on  one  side,  and  those  upon  Pilgrim-street  gate  on  the 
other,  that  none  could  come  near  our  house,  either  way, 
without  being  torn  in  pieces. 

On  Friday  and  Saturday  many  messengers  of  lies 
terrified  the  poor  people  of  the  town,  as  if  the  rebels 
were  just  coming  to  swallow  them  up.  Upon  this  the 
guards  were  increased,  and  abundance  of  country  gentle- 
men came  in,  with  their  servants,  horses,  and  arms. 
Among  those  who  came  from  the  north  was  one  whom 
the  mayor  ordered  to  be  apprehended,  on  suspicion  of 
his  being  a  spy.  As  soon  as  he  was  left  alone  he  cut 
his  own  throat;  but  a  surgeon  coming  quickly,  sewed 
up  the  wound,  so  that  he  lived  to  discover  those  designs 
of  the  rebels,  which  were  thereby  effectually  prevented. 

Sun.  29. — Advice  came  that  they  were  in  full  march 
southward,  so  that  it  was  supposed  they  would  reach 
Newcastle  by  Monday  evening.    At  eight  I  called  on  a 


Oct.  1745  WESLEY  AND  THE  TROOPS  143 

multitude  of  sinners  in  Gateshead,  to  seek  the  Lord 
while  he  might  be  found.  Mr.  Ellison  preached  another 
earnest  sermon,  and  all  the  people  seemed  to  bend  before 
the  Lord.  In  the  afternoon  I  expounded  part  of  the 
lesson  for  the  day — Jacob  wrestling  with  the  angel. 
The  congregation  was  so  moved,  that  I  began  again  and 
again,  and  knew  not  how  to  conclude.  And  we  cried 
mightily  to  God  to  send  his  Majesty  King  George  help 
from  his  holy  place,  and  to  spare  a  sinful  land  yet  a 
little  longer,  if  haply  they  might  know  the  day  of  their 
visitation. 

TLe  Blasphemous  Troops 
Tues.  Oct.  8. — I  wrote  to  General  Husk  as  follows : 

"  A  surly  man  came  to  me  this  evening,  as  he  said, 
from  you.  He  would  not  deign  to  come  up  stairs  to 
me,  nor  so  much  as  into  the  house ;  but  stood  in  the 
yard  till  I  came,  and  then  obliged  me  to  go  with  him 
into  the  street,  where  he  said,  '  You  must  pull  down  the 
battlements  of  your  house,  or  to-morrow  the  General 
will  pull  them  down  for  you.' 

"  Sir,  to  me  this  is  nothing.  But  I  humbly  conceive 
it  would  not  be  proper  for  this  man,  whoever  he  is,  to 
behave  in  such  a  manner  to  any  other  of  his  Majesty's 
subjects,  at  so  critical  a  time  as  this. 

"  I  am  ready,  if  it  may  be  for  his  Majesty's  service, 
to  pull  not  only  the  battlements,  but  the  house  down ; 
or  to  give  up  any  part  of  it,  or  the  whole,  into  your 
Excellency's  hands." 

Sat.  26. — I  sent  Alderman  Ridley  the  following  letter: 

"  Sir, — The  fear  of  God,  the  love  of  my  country,  and  the 
regard  I  have  for  his  Majesty  King  George,  constrain 


144  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Oct.  1745 

me  to  write  a  few  plain  words  to  one  who  is  no  stranger 
to  these  principles  of  action. 

"  My  soul  has  been  pained  day  by  day,  even  in 
walking  the  streets  of  Newcastle,  at  the  senseless, 
shameless  wiclcedness,  the  ignorant  profaneness,  of  the 
poor  men  to  whom  our  lives  are  entrusted.  The 
continual  cursing  and  swearing,  the  wanton  blasphemy 
of  the  soldiers  in  general,  must  needs  be  a  torture  to  the 
sober  ear,  whether  of  a  Christian  or  an  honest  infidel. 
Can  any  that  either  fear  God,  or  love  their  neighbour, 
hear  this  without  concern?  especially  if  they  consider 
the  interest  of  our  country,  as  well  as  of  these  unhappy 
men  themselves.  For  can  it  be  expected,  that  God 
should  be  on  their  side  who  are  daily  affronting  him  to 
his  face  ?  And  if  God  be  not  on  their  side,  how  little 
will  either  their  number,  or  courage,  or  strength  avail  ? 

"Is  there  no  man  that  careth  for  these  souls? 
Doubtless  there  are  some  who  ought  so  to  do.  But 
many  of  these,  if  I  am  rightly  informed,  receive  large 
pay,  and  do  just  nothing. 

"  I  would  to  God  it  v/ere  in  my  power,  in  any  degree, 
to  supply  their  lack  of  service.  I  am  ready  to  do  what 
in  me  lies,  to  call  these  poor  sinners  to  repentance,  once 
or  twice  a  day  (while  I  remain  in  these  parts),  at  any 
hour,  or  at  any  place.  And  I  desire  no  pay  at  all  for 
doing  this;  unless  what  my  Lord  shall  give  at  his 
appearing. 

"  Having  myself  no  knowledge  of  the  General,  I  took 
the  liberty  to  make  this  offer  to  you.  I  have  no  interest 
herein ;  but  I  should  rejoice  to  serve,  as  I  am  able,  my 
King  and  country.  If  it  be  judged,  that  this  will  be  of 
no  real  service,  let  the  proposal  die,  and  be  forgotten. 
But  I  beg  you.  Sir,  to  believe,  that  I  have  the  same 


Nov.  1745     COMMOTION  AT  LEEDS 


]43 


glorious  cause,  for  which  you  have  shown  so  becoming  a 
zeal,  earnestly  at  heart;  and  that  therefore  I  am,  with 
warm  respect. 

Sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  servant." 

Sun.  27. — I  received  a  message  from  Mr.  Ridley,  that 
he  would  communicate  my  proposal  to  the  General,  and 
return  me  his  answer  as  soon  as  possible. 

Having  now  delivered  my  own  soul,  on  Monday, 
Nov.  4,  I  left  Newcastle.  Before  nine  we  met  several 
expresses,  sent  to  countermand  the  march  of  the  army 
into  Scotland  ;  and  to  inform  them,  that  the  rebels  had 
passed  the  Tweed,  and  were  marching  southward. 

Bonfires  Everywhere 

Tues.  5. — In  the  evening  I  came  to  Leeds,  and  found 
the  town  full  of  bonfires,  and  people  shouting,  firing  of 
guns,  cursing  and  swearing,  as  the  English  manner  of 
keeping  holidays  is.  I  immediately  sent  word  to  some 
of  the  magistrates,  of  what  I  had  heard  on  the  road. 
This  ran  through  the  town,  as  it  were,  in  an  instant : 
and  I  hope  it  was  a  token  for  good.  The  hurry  in  the 
streets  was  quashed  at  once — some  of  the  bonfires 
indeed  remained ;  but  scarce  any  one  was  to  be  seen 
about  them,  but  a  few  children  warming  their  hands. 

Thur.  7. — I  rode  to  Stayley  Hail,  in  Cheshire,  after 
many  interruptions  in  the  way,  by  those  poor  tools  of 
watchmen,  who  stood  with  great  solemnity  at  the  end  of 
almost  every  village.  I  preached  there  on  Mark  i.  15, 
and  rode  on  to  Bradbury  Green. 

Fri.  8. — Understanding  that  a  neighbouring  gentleman, 
Dr.  C,  had  affirmed  to  many,  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  now 
witn  the  Pretender,  near  Edinburgh,  I  wrote  liim  a  few 

K 


146  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1746 


lines.  It  may  be,  he  will  have  a  little  more  regard  to 
truth,  or  shame,  for  the  time  to  come. 

Wesley  and  Faith-healing 
1746.  Men.  ^arch  17. — I  took  my  leave  of  Newcastle, 
and  set  out  with  Mr.  Downes  and  Mr.  Shepherd.  But 
when  we  came  to  Smeton,  Mr.  Downes  was  so  ill,  that  he 
could  go  no  further.  When  Mr.  Shepherd  and  I  left 
Smeton,  my  horse  was  so  exceeding  lame  that  I  was 
afraid  I  must  have  lain  by  too.  We  could  not  discern 
what  it  was  that  was  amiss ;  and  yet  he  would  scarce  set 
his  foot  to  the  ground.  By  riding  thus  seven  miles,  I 
was  thoroughly  tired,  and  my  head  ached  more  than  it 
had  done  for  some  months.  (What  1  here  aver  is  the 
naked  fact:  let  every  man  account  for  it  as  he  sees 
good.)  I  then  thought,  "  Cannot  God  heal  either  man 
or  beast,  by  any  means,  or  without  any  ?  "  Immediately 
my  weariness  and  head-ache  ceased,  and  my  horse's 
lameness  in  the  same  instant.  Nor  did  he  halt  any 
more  either  that  day  or  the  next.  A  very  odd  accident 
this  also  ! 

Fri.  May  30  (Bristol). — I  light  upon  a  poor,  pretty, 
fluttering  thing,  lately  come  from  Ireland,  and  going  to 
be  a  singer  at  the  play-house.  She  went  in  the  evening 
to  the  chapel,  and  thence  to  the  watch-night,  and  was 
almost  persuaded  to  be  a  Christian.  Her  convictions 
continued  strong  for  a  few  days ;  but  then  her  old 
acquaintance  found  her,  and  we  saw  her  no  more. 

Sun.  July  6  (London). — After  talking  largely  with 
both  the  men  and  women  leaders,  we  agreed  it  would 
prevent  great  expense,  as  well  of  health  as  of  time  and 
of  money,  if  the  poorer  people  of  our  society  could  be 
persuaded  to  leave  off  drinking  of  tea.  We  resolved 
ourselves  to  begin  and  set  the  example.    I  expected 


Feb.  1747       WESLEY  GIVES  UP  TEA  147 

some  difficulty  in  breaking  off  a  custom  of  six-and- 
twenty  years'  standing.  And,  accordingly,  the  three 
first  days,  my  head  ached,  more  or  less,  all  day  long,  and 
I  was  half  asleep  from  morning  till  night.  The  third 
day,  on  Wednesday,  in  the  afternoon,  my  memory  failed, 
almost  entirely.  In  the  evening  I  sought  my  remedy 
in  prayer.  On  Thursday  morning  my  head-ache  was 
gone.  My  memory  was  as  strong  as  ever.  And  I  have 
found  no  inconvenience,  but  a  sensible  benefit  in  several 
respects,  from  that  very  day  to  this. 

Thur.  17. — I  finished  the  little  collection  which  I  had 
made  among  my  friends  for  a  lending-stock  :  it  did  not 
amount  to  thirty  pounds  ;  which  a  few  persons  after- 
wards made  up  fifty.  And  by  this  inconsiderable  sum, 
above  two  hundred  and  fifty  persons  were  relieved  in 
one  year. 

Wesley  Encounters  Severe  Weather 

1747.  Tues.  Feb.  10  (London). — My  brother 
returned  from  the  north,  and  I  prepared  to  supply  his 
place  there.  Sunday,  15.  I  was  very  weak  and  faint; 
but  on  Monday,  16,  I  rose  soon  after  three,  lively  and 
strong,  and  found  all  my  complaints  were  fled  away  like 
a  dream. 

I  was  wondering,  the  day  before,  at  the  mildness  of 
the  weather ;  such  as  seldom  attends  me  in  my  journeys. 
But  my  wonder  now  ceased :  the  wind  was  turned  full 
north,  and  blew  so  exceeding  hard  and  keen,  that  when 
we  came  to  Hatfield,  neither  my  companions  nor  I  had 
much  use  of  our  hands  or  feet.  After  resting  an  hour, 
we  bore  up  again  through  the  wind  and  snow,  which 
drove  full  in  our  faces.  But  this  was  only  a  squall.  In 
Baldock-field  the  storm  began  in  earnest.  The  large 
hail  drove  so  vehemently  in  oiu:  faces,  that  we  could  not 


148  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Feb.  1747 

see,  nor  hardly  breathe.  However,  before  two  o'clock 
we  reached  Baldock,  where  one  met  and  conducted  us 
safe  to  Potten. 

About  six  \  preached  to  a  serious  congregation. 
Tuesday,  17.  We  set  out  as  soon  as  it  was  well  light  ; 
but  it  was  really  hard  work  to  get  forward;  for  the  frost 
would  not  well  bear  or  break ;  and  the  untracked  snow 
covering  all  the  roads,  we  had  much  ado  to  keep  our 
horses  on  their  feet.  Meantime  the  wind  rose  higher 
and  higher,  till  it  was  ready  to  overturn  both  man  and 
beast.  However,  after  a  short  bait  at  Bugden,  we  pushed 
on,  and  were  met  in  the  middle  of  an  open  field  with  so 
violent  a  storm  of  rain  and  hail,  as  we  had  not  had 
before.  It  drove  through  our  coats,  great  and  small, 
boots,  and  everything,  and  yet  froze  as  it  fell,  even  upon 
our  eye-brows ;  so  that  we  had  scarce  either  strength  or 
motion  left,  when  we  came  into  our  inn  at  Stilton. 

We  now  gave  up  our  hopes  of  reaching  Grantham,  the 
snow  falling  faster  and  faster.  However,  we  took  the 
advantage  of  a  fair  blast  to  set  out,  and  made  the  best 
of  our  way  to  Stamford-heath.  But  here  a  new  difficulty 
arose,  from  the  snow  lying  in  large  drifts.  Sometimes 
horse  and  man  were  well  nigh  swallowed  np.  Yet  in 
less  than  an  hour  we  were  brought  safe  to  Stamford. 
Being  willing  to  get  as  far  as  we  could,  we  made  but  a 
short  stop  here;  and  about  sunset  came,  cold  and 
weary,  yet  well,  to  a  little  town  called  Brig-casterton. 

Wed.  18. — Our  servant  came  up  and  said,  "  Sir,  there 
is  no  travelling  to-day.  Such  a  quantity  of  snow  has 
fallen  in  the  night,  that  the  roads  are  quite  filled  up." 
I  told  him,  "  At  least  we  can  walk  twenty  miles  a  day, 
with  our  horses  in  our  hands."  So  in  the  name  of  God 
we  set  out.  The  north-east  wind  was  piercing  as  a 
sword,  and  had  driven  the  snow  into  such  uneven  heaps, 


June  1747  PREACHING  ON  A  TOMBSTONE  U9 

that  the  main  road  was  un  passable.  However,  we  kept 
on,  a-foot  or  on  horseback,  till  we  came  to  the  White 
Lion  at  Grantham. 

Some  from  Grimsby  had  appointed  to  meet  us  here ; 
but  not  hearing  anything  of  them  (for  they  were  at 
another  house,  by  mistake),  after  an  hour's  rest,  we  set 
out  straight  for  Epworth.  On  the  road  we  overtook  a 
clergyman  and  his  servant;  but  the  tooth-ache  quite 
shut  my  mouth.    We  reached  Newark  about  five. 

Preaching  to  the  Lead  Miners 
Tues.  March  24. — I  rode  to  Blanchland,  about  twenty 
miles  from  Newcastle.  The  rough  mountains  round 
about  were  still  white  with  snow.  In  the  midst  of  them 
is  a  small  winding  valley,  through  which  the  Derwent 
runs.  On  the  edge  of  this  the  little  town  stands,  which 
is  indeed  little  more  than  a  heap  of  ruins.  There  seems 
to  have  been  a  large  cathedral  church,  by  the  vast  walls 
which  still  remain.  I  stood  in  the  churchyard,  under 
one  side  of  the  building,  upon  a  large  tomb-stone,  round 
which,  while  I  was  at  prayers  all  the  congregation 
kneeled  down  on  the  grass.  They  were  gathered  out  of 
the  lead-mines  from  all  parts ;  many  from  Allandale, 
sbc  miles  off.  A  row  of  httle  children  sat  under  the 
opposite  wall,  all  quiet  and  still.  The  whole  congrega- 
tion drank  in  every  word  with  such  earnestness  in  their 
looks,  I  could  not  but  hope  that  God  will  make  this 
wilderness  sing  for  joy. 

Wed.  June  24. — We  rode  (from  Bristol)  to  Beercro- 
comb,  hoping  to  reach  Tavistock  the  next  day.  So  we 
set  out  at  three.  The  rain  began  at  four.  We  reached 
Colestock,  dropping  wet,  before  seven.  The  rain  ceased 
while  we  were  in  the  house,  but  began  when  we  took 
horse,  and  attended  us  all  the  way  to  Exeter.  While 


150  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1747 

we  stayed  here  to  dry  our  clothes,  I  took  the  opportunity 
of  writing  "  A  Word  to  a  Freeholder."  Soon  after  three 
we  set  out :  but  it  was  near  eight  before  we  could  reach 
Oakhampton.  ^ 

Fri.  26. — We  came  to  Tavistock  before  noon  ;  but  it 
being  market-day,  I  did  not  preach  till  five  in  the 
evening.  The  rain  began  almost  as  soon  as  we  began 
singing,  and  drove  many  out  of  the  field.  After  preach- 
ing (leaving  Mr.  Swindells  there)  I  went  on  for  Plymouth- 
dock. 

How  Wesley  Dealt  with  a  Mob 

Within  two  miles  of  Plymouth,  one  overtook  and 
informed  us,  that,  the  night  before,  all  the  Dock  was  in 
an  uproar;  and  a  constable,  endeavouring  to  keep  the 
peace,  was  beaten  and  much  hurt.  As  we  were  entering 
the  Dock,  one  met  us,  and  desired  we  would  go  the 
back-way:  "For,"  said  he,  "there  are  thousands  of 
people  waiting  about  Mr.  Hide's  door."  We  rode  up 
straight  into  the  niidst  of  them.  They  saluted  us  with 
three  huzzas ;  after  which  I  alighted,  took  several  of 
them  by  the  hand,  and  began  to  talk  with  them.  I 
would  gladly  have  passed  an  hour  among  them ;  and 
believe,  if  I  had,  there  had  been  an  end  of  the  riot. 
But  the  day  being  far  spent  (for  it  was  past  nine  o'clock), 
I  was  persuaded  to  go  in.  The  mob  then  recovered 
their  spirits,  and  fought  valiantly  with  the  doors  and 
windows  :  but  about  ten  they  were  weary,  and  went 
every  man  to  his  own  home. 

Sat.  27. — I  preached  at  four,  and  then  spoke  sever- 
ally to  part  of  the  society.  As  yet  I  have  found  only 
one  person  among  them  who  knew  the  love  of  God, 
before  my  brother  came.  No  wonder  the  devil  was  so 
still ;  for  his  goods  were  in  peace. 


June  1747  MOB-LEADER  PROTECTS  WESLEY  151 

About  six  in  the  evening,  I  went  to  the  place  where 
I  preached  the  last  year.  A  little  before  we  had  ended 
the  hymn,  came  the  Lieutenant,  a  famous  man,  with  his 
retinue  of  soldiers,  drummers,  and  mob.  When  the 
drums  ceased,  a  gentleman  barber  began  to  speak  :  but 
his  voice  was  quickly  drowned  in  the  shouts  of  the 
multitude,  who  grew  fiercer  and  fiercer,  as  their  numbers 
increased.  After  waiting  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
perceiving  the  violence  of  the  rabble  still  increasing,  I 
walked  down  into  the  thickest  of  them,  and  took  the 
captain  of  the  mob  by  the  hand.  He  immediately  said, 
"  Sir,  I  will  see  you  safe  home.  Sir,  no  man  shall  touch 
you.  Gentlen.en,  stand  off:  give  back.  I  will  knock 
the  first  man  down  that  touches  him."  We  walked  on 
in  great  peace ;  my  conductor  every  now  and  then 
stretching  out  his  neck  (he  was  a  very  tall  man) 
and  looking  round,  to  see  if  any  behaved  rudely, 
till  we  came  to  Mr.  Hide's  door.  We  then  parted  in 
much  love.  I  stayed  in  the  street  near  half  an  hour 
after  he  was  gone,  talking  with  the  people,  who  had 
now  forgot  their  anger,  and  went  away  in  high  good 
humour. 

Sun.  28. — I  preached  at  five,  on  the  Common,  to  a 
well-behaved,  earnest  congregation  :  and  at  eight  near 
the  room,  on,  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord,  while  He  may  be 
found."  The  congregation  was  much  larger  than  before, 
and  equally  serious  and  attentive.  At  ten  I  went  to 
church.  Mr.  Barlow  preached  an  useful  sermon,  on, 
"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  "  ;  and  a  thundering 
one  in  the  afternoon,  on,  "  Where  their  worm  dieth  not, 
and  the  fire  is  not  quenched." 

Men.  29. — I  took  horse  between  three  and  four, 
and  reached  Perranwell,  three  miles  beyond  Truro, 
about  six.    I  preached  to  a  very  large  congregation 


152  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1747 

at  seven  ;  and  the  word  was  as  the  rain  on  the  tender 
herb. 

Tues.  30. — We  came  to  St.  Ives  before  Morning 
Prayers,  and  walked  to  church  without  so  much  as  one 
huzza.  How  strangely  has  one  year  changed  the  scene 
in  Cornwall !  This  is  now  a  peaceable,  nay,  honourable 
station.  They  give  us  good  words  almost  in  every 
place.  What  have  we  done,  that  the  world  should  be  so 
civil  to  us  ? 

Wed.  July  i. — I  spoke  severally  to  all  those  who  had 
votes  in  the  ensuing  election.  I  found  them  such  as  I 
desired.  Not  one  would  even  eat  or  drink  at  the 
expense  of  him  for  whom  he  voted.  Five  guineas  had 
been  given  to  W.  C,  but  he  returned  them  immediately. 
T.  M.  positively  refused  to  accept  any  thing.  And 
when  he  heard  that  his  mother  had  received  money 
privately,  he  could  not  rest  till  she  gave  him  the  three 
guineas,  which  he  instantly  sent  back. 

Thursday  2,  was  the  day  of  election  for  Parliament- 
men.  It  was  begun  and  ended  without  any  hurry  at  all. 
I  had  a  large  congregation  in  the  evening,  among  whom 
two  or  three  roared  for  the  disquietness  of  their  heart  : 
as  did  many  at  the  meeting  which  followed ;  particularly 
those  who  had  lost  their  first  love. 

Thurs.  Aug.  13  (Dubhn). — We  walked  in  the  after- 
noon to  see  two  persons  that  were  sick  near  Phoenix 
Park.  That  part  of  it  which  joins  to  the  city  is 
sprinkled  up  and  down  with  trees,  not  unlike  Hyde 
Park.  But  about  a  mile  from  the  town  is  a  thick 
grove  of  old,  tall  oaks;  and  in  the  centre  of  this,  a 
round,  open  green  (from  which  are  vistas  of  all  four 
ways),  with  a  handsome  stone  pillar  in  the  midst,  having 
a  Phoenix  on  the  top. 

I  continued    reaching,    morning  and   evening,  to 


Nov.  1747    CONGREGATION  OF  BARGEES  153 

many  more  than  the  house  would  contain,  and  had 
more  and  more  reason  to  hope  they  would  not  all  be 
unfruitful  hearers. 

Sun.  Sept.  27  (London). — I  preached  in  Moorfields, 
morning  and  evening,  and  continued  so  to  do  tiil 
November.  I  know  no  church  in  London  (that  in  West- 
street  excepted)  where  there  is  so  serious  a  congregation. 

Hon.  28. — I  talked  with  one  who,  a  little  time 
before,  was  so  overwhelmed  with  afRiction,  that  she 
went  out  one  night  to  put  an  end  to  it  all,  by  throwing 
herself  into  the  New  River.  As  she  went  by  the 
Foundery  (it  being  a  watch-night),  she  heard  some 
people  singing.  She  stopped,  and  went  in  ;  she  listened 
awhile,  and  God  spoke  to  her  heart.  She  had  no  more 
desire  to  put  an  end  to  her  hfej  but  to  die  to  sin,  and 
live  to  God. 

The  Bargemen  and  their  Clubs 

Mon.  Nov.  2. — I  preached  at  Windsor  at  noon,  and 
in  the  afternoon  rode  to  Reading.  Mr.  J.  R.  had  just 
sent  his  brother  word,  that  he  had  hired  a  mob  to  pull 
down  his  preaching-house  that  night.  In  the  evening 
Mr.  S.  Richards  overtook  a  large  company  of  bargemen 
walking  towards  it,  whom  he  immediately  accosted,  and 
asked,  if  they  would  go  with  him  and  hear  a  good 
sermon ;  telling  them,  "  I  will  make  room  for  you,  if 
you  were  as  many  more."  They  said,  they  would  go 
with  all  their  hearts.  "  But  neighbours,"  said  he, 
"  would  it  not  be  as  well  to  leave  those  clubs  behind 
you  ?  Perhaps  some  of  the  women  may  be  frighted  at 
them."  They  threw  them  all  away,  and  walked  quietly 
with  him  to  the  house,  where  he  set  them  in  a  pew. 

In  the  conclusion  of  my  sermon,  one  of  them  who 
used  to  be  their  captain,  being  the  head  taller  than  his 


154 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Feb.  1748 


fellows,  rose  up,  and  looking  round  the  congregation, 
said,  "  The  gentleman  says  nothing  but  what  is  good ;  I 
say  so ;  and  there  is  not  a  man  here  that  shall  dare  to 
say  otherwise." 

Remarkable  Accident  to  "Wesley 
1748.  Thur.  Jan.  28. — I  set  out  for  Deverel  Long- 
bridge.  About  ten  o'clock  we  were  met  by  a  loaded 
waggon,  in  a  deep,  hollow  way.  There  was  a  narrow 
path  between  the  road  and  the  bank :  I  stepped  into 
this,  and  John  Trembath  followed  me.  When  the 
waggon  came  near,  my  horse  began  to  rear,  and  to 
attempt  climbing  up  the  bank.  This  frighted  the 
horse  which  was  close  behind,  and  made  him  prance 
and  throw  his  head  to  and  fro,  till  the  bit  of  the 
bridle  catched  hold  of  the  cape  of  my  great  coat,  and 
pulled  me  backward  off  my  horse.  I  fell  as  exact  on 
the  path,  between  the  waggon  and  the  bank,  as  if  one 
had  taken  me  in  his  arms  and  laid  me  down  there. 
Both  our  horses  stood  stock  still,  one  just  behind  me, 
the  other  before ;  so,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  I  rose 
unhurt,  mounted  again,  and  rode  on. 

Sat.  Feb.  6. — I  preached  at  eight  in  the  morning  at 
Bath,  and  in  the  evening  at  Coleford.  The  colliers  of 
this  place  were  "  darkness  "  indeed ;  but  now  they  are 
«« Ught  in  the  Lord." 

Tues.  9. — I  met  about  sixty  of  the  society  in  Bristol, 
to  consult  about  enlarging  the  room ;  and  indeed 
securing  it,  for  there  was  no  small  danger  of  its  falling 
upon  our  heads.  In  two  or  three  days,  two  hundred 
and  thirty  pounds  were  subscribed.  We  immediately 
procured  experienced  builders  to  make  an  estimate  of 
the  expense;  and  I  appointed  five  stewards  (besides 
those  of  the  society)  to  superintend  the  work. 


Feb.  1748  THE  HITTER  HIT  155 

Fri.  12. — After  preaching  at  Oakliill  about  noon,  I 
rode  to  Shepton,  and  found  them  all  under  a  strange 
consternation.  A  mob,  they  said,  was  hired,  prepared, 
and  made  sufficiently  drunk,  in  order  to  do  all  manner 
of  mischief.  I  began  preaching  between  four  and  five  : 
none  hindered  or  interrupted  at  all.  We  had  a  blessed 
opportunity,  and  the  hearts  of  many  were  exceedingly 
comforted.  I  wondered  what  was  become  of  the  mob. 
But  we  were  quickly  informed :  they  mistook  the  place, 
imagining  I  should  alight  (as  I  used  to  do)  at  William 
Stone's  house,  and  had  summoned,  by  drum,  all  their 
forces  together,  to  meet  me  at  my  coming  :  but  Mr. 
Mr.  Swindells  innocently  carrying  me  to  the  other  end 
of  the  town,  they  did  not  find  their  mistake  till  I  had 
done  preaching :  so  that  the  hindering  this,  which  was 
one  of  their  designs,  was  utterly  disappointed. 

However,  they  attended  us  from  the  preaching-house 
to  William  Stone's,  throwing  dirt,  stones,  and  clods,  in 
abundance :  but  ;hey  could  not  hurt  us;  only  Mr.  Swindells 
had  a  little  dirt  on  his  coat,  and  I  a  few  specks  on  my  hat. 

A  Shower  of  Stones 
After  we  were  gone  into  the  house,  they  began  throw- 
ing great  stones,  in  order  to  break  the  door.  But 
perceiving  this  would  require  some  time,  they  dropped 
that  design  for  the  present.  They  first  broke  all  the 
tiles  on  the  pent-house  over  the  door,  and  then  poured 
in  a  shower  of  stones  at  the  windows.  One  of  their 
captains,  in  his  great  zeal,  had  followed  us  into  the 
house,  and  was  now  shut  in  with  us.  He  did  not  like 
this,  and  would  fain  have  got  out;  but  it  was  not 
possible;  so  he  kept  as  close  to  me  as  he  could,  think- 
ing himself  safe  when  he  was  near  me  :  but,  staying  a 
little  behind  —when  I  went  up  two  pair  of  stairs,  and 


156  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  Feb.  1748 

stood  close  on  one  side,  where  we  were  a  little  sheltered 
— a  large  stone  struck  him  on  the  forehead,  and  the 
blood  spouted  out  like  a  stream.  He  cried  out,  "  O  Sir, 
are  we  to  die  to-night  ?  What  must  I  do  ?  What  must 
I  do  ?  "  I  said,  Pray  to  God.  He  is  able  to  deliver 
you  from  all  danger."  He  took  my  advice,  and  began 
praying  in  such  a  manner  as  he  had  scarce  done  ever 
since  he  was  born. 

Mr.  Swindells  and  I  then  went  to  prayer ;  after  which 
I  told  him,  "  We  must  not  stay  here ;  we  must  go  down 
immediately."  He  said,  "Sir,  we  cannot  stir;  you  see 
how  the  stones  fly  about."  I  walked  straight  through 
the  room,  and  down  the  stairs ;  and  not  a  stone  came 
in,  till  we  were  at  the  bottom.  The  mob  had  just  broke 
open  the  door  when  we  came  into  the  lower  room ;  and 
exactly  while  they  burst  in  at  one  door,  we  walked  out 
at  the  other.  Nor  did  one  man  take  any  notice  of  us, 
though  we  were  within  five  yards  of  each  other. 

A  Horrible  Proposition 

They  filled  the  house  at  once,  and  proposed  setting 
it  on  fire.  But  one  of  them,  happening  to  remember 
that  his  own  house  was  next,  with  much  ado  persuaded 
them  not  to  do  it.  Hearing  one  of  them  cry  out, 
"  They  are  gone  over  the  grounds,"  I  thought  the  advice 
was  good ;  so  we  went  over  the  grounds,  to  the  farther 
end  of  the  town,  where  Abraham  Jenkins  waited,  and 
undertook  to  guide  us  to  Oakhill. 

I  was  riding  on  in  Shepton  Lane,  it  being  now  quite 
dark,  when  he  cried  out,  "  Come  down :  come  down 
from  the  bank."  I  did  as  I  was  bid ;  but  the  bank 
being  high,  and  the  side  very  near  perpendicular,  I  came 
down  all  at  once,  my  horse  and  I  tumbling  one  over 
another.    But  we  both  rose  unhurt. 


April  17+8   PREACHING  r.  COCKFIGHTING  157 

Sat.  April  9. — I  preached  in  Connaught,  a  few  miles 
from  Athlone.     Many  heard ;  but,  I  doubt,  felt  nothing. 

The  Shannon  comes  within  a  mile  of  the  house  where 
I  preached.  I  think  there  is  not  such  another  river  in 
Europe :  it  is  here  ten  or  twelve  miles  over,  though 
scarce  thirty  miles  from  its  fountain-head.  There  are 
many  islands  in  it,  once  well  inhabited,  but  now  mostly 
desolate.  In  almost  every  one  is  the  ruins  of  a  church : 
in  one,  the  remains  of  no  less  than  seven.  I  fear,  God 
hath  still  a  controversy  with  this  land,  because  it  is 
defiled  with  blood. 

Incidents  in  Ireland 

Sun.  10  (Easter-day). — Never  was  such  a  congregation 
seen  before  at  the  sacrament  in  Athlone.  I  preached  at 
three.  Abundance  of  Papists  flocked  to  hear;  so  that 
the  priest,  seeing  his  command  did  not  avail,  came  in 
person  at  six,  and  drove  them  away  before  him  like  a 
flock  of  sheep. 

Tues.  12. — I  rode  to  Clara,  where  I  was  quickly 
informed,  that  there  was  to  begin  in  an  hour's  time  a 
famous  cockfight,  to  which  almost  all  the  country  was 
coming  from  every  side.  Hoping  to  engage  some  part 
of  them  in  a  better  employ,  I  began  preaching  in  the 
street,  as  soon  as  possible.  One  or  two  hundred 
stopped,  and  listened  a  while,  and  pulled  off  their  hats, 
and  forgot  their  diversion. 

The  congregation  at  Tullamore  in  the  evening  was 
larger  than  ever  before,  and  deep  attention  sat  on  every 
face.  Toward  the  latter  end  of  the  sermon,  there  began 
a  violent  storm  of  hail.  I  desired  the  people  to  cover 
their  heads ;  but  the  greater  part  of  them  would  not ; 
nor  did  any  one  go  away  till  I  concluded  my  discourse. 

Fri.  15. — I  rode  to  Edinderry.    Abundance  of  people 


158  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        April  1748 

were  quickly  gathered  together.  Having  been  disturbed 
in  the  night  by  Mr.  Swindells,  who  lay  with  me,  and  had 
a  kind  of  apoplectic  fit,  I  was  not  at  all  well  about  noon, 
when  I  begon  to  preach,  in  a  large  walk,  on  one  side  of 
the  town,  and  the  sun  shone  hot  upon  my  head,  which 
had  been  aching  all  the  day ;  but  I  forgot  this  before  I 
had  spoken  long  ;  and  when  I  had  finished  my  discourse, 
I  left  all  my  weariness  and  pain  behind,  and  rode  on,  in 
perfect  health  to  Dublin. 

Sat.  23. — I  read,  some  hours,  an  extremely  dull  book. 
Sir  James  Ware's  "  Antiquities  of  Ireland."  By  the  vast 
number  of  ruins  which  are  seen  in  all  parts,  I  had 
always  suspected  what  he  shows  at  large,  namely,  that  in 
ancient  times  it  was  more  populous,  tenfold,  than  it  is 
now;  many  that  were  large  cities,  being  now  ruinous 
heaps ;  many  shrunk  into  inconsiderable  villages. 

I  visited  one  in  the  afternoon  who  was  ill  of  a  fever, 
and  lay  in  a  very  close  room.  While  I  was  near  him,  I 
found  myself  not  well.  After  my  return  home,  I  felt 
my  stomach  out  of  order.  But  I  imagined  it  was  not 
worth  any  notice,  and  would  pass  off  before  the  morning. 

"Wesley  Lives  on  Apple-tea 

Sun.  24. — I  preached  at  Skinner's  Alley  at  five;  and 
on  Oxmantown  Green  at  eight.  I  was  weak  in  body, 
but  was  greatly  revived  by  the  seriousness  and  earnestness 
of  the  congregation.  Resolving  to  improve  the  oppor- 
tunity, I  gave  notice  of  preaching  there  again  in  the 
afternoon  ;  which  I  did  to  a  congregation  much  more 
numerous,  and  equally  attentive.  As  I  came  home  I 
was  glad  to  lie  down,  having  a  quinsey,  attended  with  a 
fever.  However,  when  the  society  met,  I  made  a  shift 
to  creep  in  among  them.  Immediately  my  voice  was 
restored.     I  spoke  without  pain,  for  near  an  hour 


April  1748    PREACHING  WHEN  ILL  159 

together.  And  great  was  our  rejoicing  over  each  oth'er ; 
knowing  that  God  would  order  all  things  well. 

Mon.  25. — Finding  my  fever  greatly  increased,  I  judged 
it  would  be  best  to  keep  my  bed,  and  to  live  awhile  on 
apples  and  apple-tea.  On  Tuesday  I  was  quite  well, 
and  should  have  preached,  but  that  Dr.  Rutty  (who 
had  been  with  me  twice)  insisted  on  my  resting  for  a 
time. 

I  read  to-day  what  is  accounted  the  most  correct 
history  of  St.  Patrick  that  is  extant;  and,  on  the 
maturest  consideration,  I  was  much  inclined  to  believe, 
that  St.  Patrick  and  St.  George  were  of  one  family. 
The  whole  story  smells  strong  of  romance. 

A  Determined  Preacher 

Thursday,  28,  was  the  day  fixed  for  my  going  into  the 
country  :  but  all  about  me  began  to  cry  out,  "  Sare,  you 
will  not  go  to-day  ?  See  how  the  rain  pours  down ! " 
I  told  them,  "  I  must  keep  my  word,  if  possible."  But 
before  five,  the  man  of  whom  I  had  bespoke  an  horse 
sent  word,  his  horse  should  not  go  out  in  such  a  day. 
I  sent  one  who  brought  him  to  a  better  mind.  So 
about  six  I  took  horse.    About  nine  I  called  at  Killcock. 

Between  one  and  two  we  came  to  Kinnegad.  My 
strength  was  now  pretty  well  exhausted ;  so  that  when 
we  mounted  again,  after  resting  an  hour,  it  was  as  much 
as  I  could  do  to  sit  my  horse.  We  had  near  eleven 
Irish  (measured)  miles  to  ride,  which  are  equal  to 
fourteen  English.  I  got  over  them  pretty  well  in  three 
hours,  and  by  six  reached  Tyrrel's  Pass. 

At  seven  I  recovered  my  strength,  so  as  to  preach 
and  meet  the  society;  which  began  now  to  be  at  a 
stand,  with  regard  to  number,  but  not  with  regard  to 
the  grace  of  God. 


160  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1748 

"Fri.  29. — I  rode  to  Temple  Maqueteer,  and  thence 
toward  Athlone.  We  came  at  least  an  hour  before  we 
were  expected.  Nevertheless  we  were  met  by  many  of 
our  brethren.  The  first  I  saw,  about  two  miles  from 
the  town,  were  k  dozen  little  boys  running  with  all  their 
might,  some  bare-headed,  some  bare-footed  and  bare- 
legged :  so  they  had  their  desire  of  speaking  to  me  first, 
the  others  being  still  behind. 

Zealous  Protestants 

Tues.  May  3. — I  rode  to  Birr,  twenty  miles  from 
Athlone,  and,  the  key  of  the  sessions-house  not  being  to 
be  found,  declared  "  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ " 
in  the  street,  to  a  dull,  rude,  senseless  multitude.  Many 
laughed  the  greater  part  of  the  time.  Some  went  away 
just  in  the  middle  of  a  sentence.  And  yet  when  one 
cried  out  (a  Carmelite  friar,  clerk  to  the  priest),  "  You 
lie  !  you  lie  !  "  the  zealous  Protestants  cried  out,  "  Knock 
him  down  "  :  and  it  was  no  sooner  said  than  done.  I 
saw  some  bustle,  but  knew  not  what  was  the  matter, 
till  the  whole  was  over. 

In  the  evening  we  rode  to  Balliboy.  There  being  no 
house  that  could  contain  the  congregation,  I  preached 
here  also  in  the  street.  I  was  afraid,  in  a  new  place, 
there  would  be  but  few  in  the  morning ;  but  there  was 
a  considerable  number,  and  such  a  blessing  as  I  had 
scarce  found  since  I  landed  in  Ireland. 

Sun.  15  (Dublin). — Finding  my  strength  greatly 
restored,  I  preached  at  five,  and  at  eight  on  Oxman- 
town  Green.  I  expected  to  sail  as  soon  as  I  had  done  ; 
but  the  captain  putting  it  off  (as  their  manner  is),  gave 
me  an  opportunity  of  declaring  the  Gospel  of  peace  to 
a  still  larger  congregation  in  the  evening.  One  of  them, 
after  listening  some  time,  cried  out,  shaking  his  head, 


Aug.  1748        WESLEY  ON  HOMER  I61 

"  Ay,  he  is  a  Jesuit ;  that's  plain."  To  which  a  Popish 
priest,  who  happened  to  be  near,  replied  aloud,  "  No, 
he  is  not ;  I  would  to  God  he  was." 

Mon.  16. — Observing  a  large  congregation  in  the 
evening,  and  many  strangers  among  them,  I  preached 
more  roughly  than  ever  I  had  done  in  Dublin,  on  those 
awful  words,  "  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall 
gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  " 

Wed.  18. — We  took  ship.  The  wind  was  small  in 
the  afternoon,  but  exceeding  high  towards  night.  About 
eight  I  laid  me  down  on  the  quarter-deck.  I  was  soon 
wet  from  head  to  foot,  but  I  took  no  cold  at  all.  About 
four  in  the  morning  we  landed  at  Holyhead,  and  in  the 
evening  reached  Carnarvon. 

Fri.  August  12. — In  riding  to  Newcastle,  I  finished  | 
the  tenth  Iliad  of  Homer.    What  an  amazing  genius  j 
had  this  man  !    To  write  with  such  strength  of  thought,  , 
and  beauty  of  expression,  when  he  had  none  to  go 
before  him  !    And  what  a  vein  of  piety  runs  through  his 
whole  work,  in  spite  of  his  pagan  prejudices  !    Yet  one 
cannot  but  observe  such  improprieties  intermixed,  as 
are  shocking  to  the  last  degree. 

Wesley  Protests  Against  Lawlessness 
Thur.  25. — I  rode  with  Mr.  Grimshaw  to  Roughlee. 
At  half-hour  after  twelve  I  began  to  preach.  I  had 
about  half  finished  my  discourse,  when  the  mob  came 
pouring  down  the  hill  like  a  torrent.  After  exchanging 
a  few  words  with  their  captain,  to  prevent  any  contest, 
I  went  with  him  as  he  required.  When  we  came  to 
Barrowford,  two  miles  off,  the  whole  army  drew  up  in 
battle  array  before  the  house  into  which  I  was  carried, 
with  two  or  three  of  my  friends.  After  I  had  been 
detained  above  an  hour,  their  captain  went  out,  and  I 

h 


162  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1748 

followed  him,  and  desired  him  to  conduct  me  whence  I 
came.  He  said,  he  would  :  but  the  mob  soon  followed 
after ;  at  which  he  was  so  enraged,  that  he  must  needs 
turn  back  to  fight  them,  and  so  left  me  alone. 

A  farther  account  is  contained  in  the  following  letter, 
which  I  wrote  the  next  morning — 

Widdop,  Aug.  26,  1748. 

"  Sir, — Yesterday,  between  twelve  and  one  o'clock, 
while  I  was  speaking  to  some  quiet  people,  without  any 
noise  or  tumult,  a  drunken  rabble  came,  with  clubs  and 
staves,  in  a  tumultuous  and  riotous  manner,  the  captain 
of  whom,  Richard  B.,  by  name,  said  he  was  a  deputy- 
constable,  and  that  he  was  come  to  bring  me  to  you. 
I  went  with  him  ;  but  I  had  scarce  gone  ten  yards,  when 
a  man  of  his  company  struck  me  with  his  fist  in  the  face 
with  all  his  might ;  quickly  after,  another  threw  his 
stick  at  my  head :  I  then  made  a  little  stand ;  but 
another  of  your  champions,  cursing  and  swearing  in  the 
most  shocking  manner,  and  flourishing  his  club  over  his 
head,  cried  out,  '  Bring  him  away  ! ' 

"  With  such  a  convoy  I  walked  to  Barrowford,  where 
they  informed  me  you  was  ;  their  drummer  going  before, 
to  draw  all  the  rabble  together  from  all  quarters. 

"  When  your  deputy  had  brought  me  into  the  house, 
he  permitted  Mr.  Grimshaw,  the  minister  of  Haworth, 
Mr.  Colbeck,  of  Keighley,  and  one  more,  to  be  with  me, 
promising  that  none  should  hurt  them.  Soon  after  you 
and  your  friends  came  in,  and  required  me  to  promise, 
I  would  come  to  Roughlee  no  more.  I  told  you,  I 
would  sooner  cut  off  my  hand,  than  make  any  such 
promise :  neither  would  I  promise  that  none  of  my 
friends  should  come.  After  abundance  of  rambling  dis- 
course (for  I  could  keep  none  of  you  long  to  any  one 


Aug.  1748         A  HORRIBLE  MOB  l63 

point),  from  about  one  o'clock  till  between  three  and 
four  (in  which  one  of  you  frankly  said,  '  No  ;  we  will 
not  be  like  Gamaliel,  we  will  proceed  like  the  Jews '),  you 
seemed  a  little  satisfied  with  my  saying,  « I  will  not 
preach  at  Roughlee  at  this  time.'  You  then  undertook 
to  quiet  the  mob,  to  whom  you  went  and  spoke  a  few 
words,  and  their  noise  immediately  ceased.  I  then 
walked  out  with  you  at  the  back-door. 

Beaten  by  the  Mob 

"  I  should  have  mentioned  that  I  had  several  times 
before  desired  you  to  let  me  go,  but  in  vain ;  and  that 
when  I  attempted  to  go  with  Richard  B.,  the  mob 
immediately  followed,  with  oaths,  curses,  and  stones  ; 
that  one  of  them  beat  me  down  to  the  ground  ;  and 
when  I  rose  again,  the  whole  body  came  about  me  hke 
lions,  and  forced  me  back  into  the  house. 

«'  While  you  and  I  went  out  at  one  door,  Mr.  Grim- 
shaw  and  Mr.  Colbeck  went  out  at  the  other.  The  mob 
immediately  closed  them  in,  tossed  them  to  and  fro  with 
the  utmost  violence,  threw  Mr.  Grimshaw  down,  and 
loaded  them  both  with  dirt  and  mire  of  every  kind ; 
not  one  of  your  friends  offering  to  call  off  your  blood- 
hounds from  the  pursuit. 

"  The  other  quiet,  harmless  people,  who  followed  me 
at  a  distance,  to  see  what  the  end  would  be,  they  treated 
still  worse ;  not  only  by  the  connivance,  but  by  the 
express  order,  of  your  deputy.  They  made  them  run 
for  their  lives,  amidst  showers  of  dirt  and  stones,  with- 
out any  regard  to  age  or  sex.  Some  of  them  they 
trampled  in  the  mire,  and  dragged  by  the  hair,  particularly 
Mr.  Mackford,  who  came  with  me  from  Newcastle. 
Many  they  beat  with  their  clubs  without  mercy.  One 
they  forced  to  leap  down  (or  they  would  have  thrown 


lG4  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1748 

him  headlong)  from  a  rock,  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  into 
the  river.  And  when  he  crawled  out,  wet  and  bruised, 
they  swore  they  would  throw  him  in  again,  which  they 
were  hardly  persuaded  not  to  do.  All  this  time  you  sat 
well-pleased  close  to  the  place,  not  attempting  in  the 
least  to  hinder  them. 

"  And  all  this  time  you  was  talking  of  justice  and 
law  !  Alas,  Sir,  suppose  we  were  Dissenters'^ (which  I 
deny),  suppose  we  were  Jews  or  Turks,  are  we  not  to 
have  the  benefit  of  the  laws  of  our  country  ?  Proceed 
against  us  by  the  law,  if  you  can  or  dare;  but  not  by 
lawless  violence ;  not  by  making  a  drunken,  cursing, 
swearing,  riotous  mob,  both  judge,  jury,  and  executioner. 
This  is  flat  rebellion  against  God  and  the  King,  as  you 
may  possibly  find  to  your  cost." 

Defending  Field  Preaching 
Between  four  and  five  we  set  out  from  Roughlee. 
But  observing  several  parties  of  men  upon  the  hills,  and 
suspecting  their  design,  we  put  on  and  passed  the  lane 
they  were  making  for  before  they  came.  One  of  our 
brothers,  not  riding  so  fast,  was  intercepted  by  them. 
They  immediately  knocked  him  down,  and  how  it  was 
that  he  got  from  amongst  them  he  knew  not. 

Before  seven  we  reached  Widdop.  The  news  of  what 
had  passed  at  Barrowford  made  us  all  friends.  The 
person  in  whose  house  Mr.  B.  preached,  sent  and 
begged  I  would  preach  there  ;  which  I  did  at  eight,  to 
such  a  congregation  as  none  could  have  expected  on  so 
short  a  warning.  He  invited  us  also  to  lodge  at  his 
house,  and  all  jealousies  vanished  away. 

Sun.  28. — I  was  invited  by  Mr.  U.,  the  Minister  ol 
Goodshaw,  to  preach  in  his  church.  I  began  reading 
prayers  at  seven ;    but  perceiving  the  church  would 


Aug.  1748  DECENCY  OF  FIELD-PREACHING  l65 

scarce  contain  half  of  the  congregation,  after  prayers  I 
went  out,  and  standing  on  the  churchyard  wall,  in  a 
place  shaded  from  the  sun,  explained  and  enforced 
those  words  in  the  second  lesson,  "  Almost  thou  per 
suadest  me  to  be  a  Christian." 

I  wonder  at  those  who  still  talk  so  loud  of  the  in- 
decency of  field-preaching.  The  highest  indecency  is  in 
St.  Paul's  Church,  when  a  considerable  part  of  the  con- 
gregation are  asleep,  or  talking,  or  looking  about,  not 
minding  a  word  the  preacher  says.  On  the  other  hand, 
there  is  the  highest  decency  in  a  churchyard  or  field,  when 
the  whole  congregation  behave  and  look  as  if  they  saw 
the  Judge  of  all,  and  heard  Him  speaking  from  heaven. 

Three  Remarkable  Shots  with  Stones 
At  one  I  went  to  the  Cross  in  Bolton.  There  was  a 
vast  number  of  people,  but  many  of  them  utterly  wild. 
As  soon  as  I  began  speaking,  they  began  thrusting  to 
and  fro;  endeavouring  to  throw  me  down  from  the 
steps  on  which  I  stood.  They  did  so  once  or  twice ; 
but  I  went  up  again,  and  continued  my  discourse. 
They  then  began  to  throw  stones;  at  the  same  time 
some  got  upon  the  Cross  behind  me  to  push  me  down ; 
on  which  I  could  not  but  observe,  how  God  overrules 
even  the  minutest  circumstances.  One  man  was  bawl- 
ing just  at  my  ear,  when  a  stone  struck  him  on  the 
cheek,  and  he  was  still.  A  second  was  forcing  his  way 
down  to  me,  till  another  stone  hit  him  on  the  forehead  : 
it  bounded  back,  the  blood  ran  down,  and  he  came  no 
farther.  The  third,  being  got  close  to  mv.,  stretched  out 
his  hand,  and  in  the  instant  a  sharp  stone  came  upon 
the  joints  of  his  fingers.  He  shook  his  hand,  and  was 
very  quiet  till  I  concluded  my  discourse  and  went 
away. 


166  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  1749 

Sat.  Oct.  22. — I  spent  an  hour  in  observing  the 
various  works  of  God  in  the  Physic  Garden  at  Chelsea. 
It  would  be  a  noble  improvement  of  the  design,  if  some 
able  and  industrious  person  were  to  make  a  full  and 
accurate  inquiry  into  the  use  and  virtues  of  all  these 
plants  :  without  this,  what  end  does  the  heaping  them 
thus  together  answer,  but  the  gratifying  an  idle  curiosity  ? 

Mon.  Nov.  21. — I  set  out  for  Leigh,  in  Essex.  It 
had  rained  hard  in  the  former  part  of  the  night,  which 
was  succeeded  by  a  sharp  frost ;  so  that  most  of  the 
road  was  like  glass  ;  and  the  north-east  wind  set  just  in 
our  face.  However,  we  reached  Leigh  by  four  in  the 
afternoon.  Here  was  once  a  deep  open  harbour ;  but 
the  sands  have  long  since  blocked  it  up,  and  reduced  a 
once  flourishing  town  to  a  small  ruinous  village.  I 
preached  to  most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  place  in  the 
evening ;  to  many  in  the  morning,  and  then  rode  back 
to  London. 

Wesley  in  Wales 

1749.  Mon.  April  3. — I  set  out  for  Ireland.  We 
waited  more  than  four  hours  at  the  passage ;  by  which 
delay,  I  was  forced  to  disappoint  a  large  congregation  at 
Newport.  About  three  I  came  to  Pedras,  near  Carp- 
hilly.  The  congregation  had  waited  some  hours.  I 
began  immediately,  wet  and  weary  as  I  was  ;  and  we 
rejoiced  over  all  our  labours. 

In  the  evening,  and  the  next  morning  (Tues.  4),  I 
preached  at  Cardiff.  O  what  a  fair  prospect  was  here 
some  years  ago  !  Surely  this  whole  town  would  have 
known  God,  from  the  least  even  to  the  greatest,  had  it 
not  been  for  men  leaning  to  their  own  understanding, 
instead  of  "  the  law  and  the  testimony." 

At  twelve  I  preached  at  Lanmais,  to  a  loving,  earnest 


April  1749    IN  WALES  AND  IRELAND  l67 

people,  who  do  not  desire  to  be  any  wiser  than  God. 
In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Fonmon,  the  next  morn- 
ing at  Cowbridge.  How  is  the  scene  changed  since  I 
was  here  last,  amidst  the  madness  of  the  people,  and 
the  stones  flying  on  every  side  !  Now  all  is  calm  ;  the 
whole  town  is  in  good  humour,  and  flock  to  hear  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation.  In  the  evening  I  preached  at 
Lantrissent. 

Thursday,  6.  We  rode  to  a  hard-named  place  on  the 
top  of  a  mountain.  I  scarce  saw  any  house  near :  how- 
ever, a  large  number  of  honest,  simple  people  soon  came 
together ;  but  few  could  understand  me  :  so  Henry 
Lloyd,  when  I  had  done,  repeated  the  substance  of 
my  sermon  in  Welsh.  The  behaviour  of  the  people 
recompensed  us  for  our  labour  in  climbing  up  to  them. 

Marries  his  Brother 

About  noon  we  came  to  Aberdare,  just  as  the  bell 
was  ringing  for  a  burial.  This  had  brought  a  great 
number  together,  to  whom,  after  the  burial,  I  preached 
in  the  church.  We  had  almost  continued  rain  from 
Aberdare  to  the  great  rough  mountain  that  hangs  over 
the  vale  of  Brecknock :  but  as  soon  as  we  gained  the 
top  of  this,  we  left  the  clouds  behind  us.  We  had  a 
mild,  fair,  sunshiny  evening  the  remainder  of  our 
journey. 

Fri.  7. — We  reached  Garth.  Saturday,  8.  I  married 
my  brother  and  Sarah  Gwynne.  It  was  a  solemn  day, 
such  as  becomes  the  dignity  of  a  Christian  marriage. 

Wed.  12. — We  came  to  Holyhead  between  one  and 
two.  But  all  the  ships  were  on  the  Irish  side.  One 
came  in  the  next  day,  but  could  not  go  out,  the  wind 
being  quite  contrary.  In  this  journey  I  read  over 
Statius's  Thebais.    I  wonder  one  man  should  write  so 


168  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  1749 

well  and  so  ill.  Sometimes  he  is  scarce  inferior  to 
Virgil ;  sometimes  as  low  as  the  dullest  parts  of  Ovid. 

In  the  evening  I  preached  on,  "  Be  ye  also  ready." 
The  poor  people  now  seemed  to  be  much  affected ;  and 
equally  so  the  nfext  night :  so  that  I  was  not  sorry  that 
the  wind  was  contrary. 

Sat.  15. — We  went  on  board  at  six,  the  wind  then 
standing  due  east.  But  no  sooner  were  we  out  of  the 
harbour,  than  it  turned  south-west,  and  blew  a  storm. 
Yet  we  made  forward,  and  about  one  o'clock  came 
within  two  or  three  leagues  of  land.  The  wind  then 
wholly  failed;  a  calm  suddenly  following  a  storm, 
produced  such  a  motion  as  I  never  felt  before.  But  it 
was  not  long  before  the  wind  sprung  up  west,  which 
obliged  us  to  stand  away  for  the  Skerries.  When  we 
wanted  a  league  of  shore  it  fell  calm  again,  so  that  there 
we  rolled  about  till  past  sunset. 

But  in  the  night  we  got  back  into  Dublin  Bay,  and 
landed  soon  after  three  at  Dunleary,  about  seven  English 
miles  from  the  city.  Leaving  William  Tucker  to  follow  me 
in  a  chaise,  I  walked  straight  away,  and  came  to  Skinner's 
Alley  a  little  before  the  time  of  preaching.  I  preached 
on,  "  Beloved,  if  God  so  loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love 
one  another."  In  the  afternoon,  and  again  in  the 
evening  (in  our  own  garden),  I  preached  on,  "  Let  us 
come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may 
obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need." 

On  Thursday  and  Friday  I  examined  the  classes,  and 
was  much  comforted  among  them.  I  left  about  four 
hundred  in  the  society ;  and,  after  all  the  stumbling- 
blocks  laid  in  the  way,  I  found  four  hundred  and  forty- 
nine. 

Mon.  24. — The  cold  which  I  had  had  for  some  days 
growing  worse  and  worse,  and  the  swelling  which  began 


May  1749  WESLEY  DOCTORS  HIMSELF  iGy 

In  my  cheek  increasing  greatly,  and  paining  me  much,  I 
sent  for  Dr.  Rutty.  But,  in  the  mean  time,  I  applied 
boiled  nettles,  which  took  away  the  pain  in  a  moment. 
Afterwards  I  used  warm  treacle,  which  so  abated  the 
swelling,  that  before  the  doctor  came  I  was  almost  well. 
However,  he  advised  me  not  to  go  out  that  day.  But  I 
had  appointed  to  read  the  letters  in  the  evening.  I 
returned  home  as  early  as  I  could,  and  found  no 
inconvenience. 

Methodists  Lease  an  Abbey 

Fri.  May  12. — Before  nine  we  came  to  Nenagh.  I 
had  no  design  to  preach;  but  one  of  the  dragoons 
quartered  there,  would  take  no  denial  :  so  I  ordered  a 
chair  to  be  carried  out,  and  went  to  the  market-place. 
Presently  such  a  congregation  was  gathered  round  me 
as  I  had  not  seen  since  I  left  Athlone.  To  these  I 
spake,  as  I  was  able,  the  whole  counsel  of  God;  and 
then  rode  cheerfully  on  to  Limerick. 

Between  six  and  seven  I  preached  at  Mardyke  (an 
open  place  without  the  walls),  to  about  two  thousand 
people ;  not  one  of  whom  I  observed  either  to  laugh, 
or  to  look  about,  or  to  mind  anything  but  the  sermon. 

Some  years  since  an  old  abbey  here  was  rebuilt, 
with  a  design  to  have  public  service  therein.  But 
that  design  faihng,  only  the  shell  of  it  was  finished.  Of 
this  (lying  useless)  the  society  has  taken  a  lease.  Here 
I  preached  in  the  morning,  Saturday,  13,  to  six  or  seven 
hundred  people. 

We  then  went  to  prayers  at  the  cathedral,  an  ancient 
and  venerable  pile.  In  the  afternoon  I  walked  round 
the  walls  of  the  town,  scarce  so  large  as  Newcastle- 
upon-Tyne.  And  the  fortifications  are  much  in  the  same 
repair ;  very  sufficient  to  keep  out  the  wild  Irish. 


170  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1749 

14. — (Being  Whit-Sunday).  Our  church  was  more 
than  full  in  the  morning,  many  being  obliged  to  stand 
without.  I  hardly  knew  how  the  time  went,  but  con- 
tinued speaking  till  near  seven  o'clock.  I  went  at 
eleven  to  the  cathedral.  I  had  been  informed  it  was 
a  custom  here,  for  the  gentry  especially,  to  laugh  and 
talk  all  the  time  of  divine  service ;  but  I  saw  nothing 
of  it.  The  whole  congregation,  rich  and  poor,  behaved 
suitably  to  the  occasion. 

In  the  evening  I  preached  to  a  numerous  congrega- 
tion, on,  "If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me 
and  drink."  We  afterwards  met  the  society.  Six  or 
seven  prisoners  of  hope  were  set  at  liberty  this  day. 

Mon.  15. — A  company  of  revellers  and  dancers  had 
in  the  afternoon  taken  possession  of  the  place  where  I 
used  to  preach.  Some  advised  me  to  go  to  another 
place ;  but  I  knew  it  needed  not.  As  soon  as  ever  I 
came  in  sight,  the  holiday  mob  vanished  away. 

Wesley  and  the  Soldiers*  Class 

Wed.  17. — I  met  the  class  of  soldiers,  eight  of  whom 
were  Scotch  Highlanders  Most  of  these  were  brought 
up  well;  but  evil  communications  had  corrupted  good 
manners.  They  all  said,  from  the  time  they  entered 
into  the  army,  they  had  grown  worse  and  worse.  But 
God  had  now  given  them  another  call,  and  they  knew 
the  day  of  their  visitation. 

Mon.  22. — The  more  I  converse  with  this  people, 
the  more  I  am  amazed.  That  God  hath  wrought  a 
great  work  among  them,  is  manifest ;  and  yet  the  main 
of  them,  believers  and  unbelievers,  are  not  able  to  give 
a  rational  account  of  the  plainest  principles  of  religion. 
It  is  plain,  God  begins  His  work  at  the  heart ;  then 
*'  the  inspiration  of  the  Highest  giveth  understanding." 


June  1749       ^  DANGEROUS  BOAT  171 

Wed.  24. — About  eight,  several  of  us  took  boat  for 
Newtown,  six  miles  from  Limerick.  After  dinner  we 
took  boat,  in  order  to  return.  The  wind  was  extremely 
high.  We  endeavoured  to  cross  over  to  the  leeward 
side  of  the  river ;  but  it  was  not  possible.  The  boat 
being  small,  and  over-loaded,  was  soon  deep  in  water  ; 
the  more  so,  because  it  leaked  much,  and  the  waves 
washed  over  us  frequently ;  and  there  was  no  sta)  ing 
to  empty  it,  all  our  men  being  obliged  to  row  with  all 
their  strength.  After  they  had  toiled  about  an  hour, 
the  boat  struck  upon  a  rock,  the  point  of  which  lay 
just  under  the  water.  It  had  four  or  five  shocks,  the 
wind  driving  us  on  before  we  could  get  clear.  But  our 
men  wrought  for  life ;  and  about  six  o'clock  God  brought 
us  safe  to  Limerick. 

A  Ridiculous  Question 

Men.  June  5. — I  rode  to  Blarney,  three  miles  wide 
of  Cork,  where  many  of  the  society  met  me.  I  spent 
some  time  with  them  in  exhortation  and  prayer,  and 
then  went  on  to  Rathcormuck. 

I  was  a  Httle  surprised  at  the  acuteness  of  a  gentleman 
here,  who  in  conversation  with  Colonel  Barry,  about  late 
occurrences,  said,  he  had  heard,  there  was  a  people 
risen  up  that  placed  all  religion  in  wearing  long 
whiskers ;  and  seriously  asked,  whether  these  were  not 
the  same  who  were  called  Methodists. 

Tues.  13. — We  rode  over  to  Gloster,  a  beautiful  seat 
built  by  an  Englishman,  who  had  scarce  finished  his 
house,  and  laid  out  his  gardens,  when  he  was  called  to 

his  everlasting  home.    Sir  L          P          and  his  lady 

dined  with  us,  whether  coming  by  accident  or  design  I 
know  not.  About  five  I  preached  in  the  stately  saloon, 
to  a  little  company  of  plain,  serious  people;  the  fine 


172  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        July  1749 

ones  looking  on,  and  some  of  them  seeming  to  be  a 
little  affected.  I  expounded  at  Birr  about  seven,  in 
the  strongest  manner  I  could,  the  story  of  Dives  and 
Lazarus. 

Wed.  14 — We  designed  to  dine  at  Ferbane,  about 
twelve  miles  from  Birr.  We  stopped  at  the  first  inn 
in  the  town  ;  but  they  did  not  care  to  entertain  heretics ; 
neither  did  the  people  at  the  second  inn ;  I  alighted 
at  the  third,  and  went  in,  without  asking  any  questions. 

About  seven  I  preached  at  Athlone.  It  being  the 
time  of  the  general  review,  abundance  of  soldiers  and 
many  officers  were  present.  They  all  behaved  with 
the  utmost  decency.  But  a  gentleman  of  the  town 
did  not ;  which  had  like  to  cost  him  dear.  Many 
swords  were  drawn ;  but  the  officers  interposed,  and  it 
went  no  farther. 

Wed.  July  19. — I  finished  the  translation  of  "Martin 
Luther's  Life."  Doubtless  he  was  a  man  highly  favoured 
of  God,  and  a  blessed  instrument  in  His  hand.  But  O  ! 
what  pity  that  he  had  no  faithful  friend !  None  that 
would,  at  all  hazards,  rebuke  him  plainly  and  sharply, 
for  his  rough,  untractable  spirit,  and  bitter  zeal  for 
opinions,  so  greatly  obstructive  of  the  work  of  God  I 

A  Rough  Voyage 
Thur.  20. — About  ten  at  night  we  embarked  [from 
Dublin]  for  Bristol,  in  a  small  sloop.  I  soon  fell  asleep. 
When  I  awaked  in  the  morning,  we  were  many  leagues 
from  land,  in  a  rough,  pitching  sea.  Toward  evening 
the  wind  turned  more  against  us,  so  that  we  made  little 
way.  About  ten  we  were  got  between  the  Bishop  and 
his  Clerks  (the  rocks  so  called)  and  the  Welsh  shore ; 
the  wind  blew  fresh  from  the  south;  so  that  the 
captain,  fearing  we  should  be  driven  on  the  rocky  coast, 


Sept.  17+9   PREACHING  IN  THE  MARKET  173 

steered  back  again  to  sea.  On  Saturday  morning  we 
made  the  Bishop  and  his  Clerks  again,  and  beat  to  and 
fro  all  the  day.  About  eight  in  the  evening  it  blew 
hard,  and  we  had  a  rolling  sea :  notwithstanding  which, 
at  four  on  Sunday  morning,  we  were  within  sight  of 
Minehead.  The  greatest  part  of  the  day  we  had  a  dead 
calm ;  but  in  the  evening  the  wind  sprung  up,  and 
carried  us  into  Kingroad.  On  Monday  morning  we 
landed  at  the  quay  in  Bristol. 

Tues.  25. — I  rode  over  to  Kingswood,  and  inquired 
particularly  into  the  state  of  our  school  there.  I  was 
concerned  to  find  that  several  of  the  rules  had  been 
habitually  neglected  :  I  judged  it  necessary,  therefore,  to 
lessen  the  family ;  suffering  none  to  remain  therein,  who 
were  not  clearly  satisfied  with  them,  and  determined  to 
observe  them  all. 

Wed.  Sept.  6.— I  reached  Newcastle  ;  and  after  resting 
a  day,  and  preaching  two  evenings  and  two  mornings, 
with  such  a  blessing  as  we  have  not  often  found,  on 
Friday  set  out  to  visit  the  northern  societies.  I  began 
with  that  at  Morpeth,  where  I  preached  at  twelve,  on 
one  side  of  the  market-place.  It  was  feared  the  market 
would  draw  the  people  from  the  sermon ;  but  it  was 
just  the  contrary:  they  quitted  their  stalls,  and  there 
was  no  buying  or  selling  till  the  sermon  was  concluded. 

At  Alnwick  likewise  I  stood  in  the  market-place  in 
the  evening,  and  exhorted  a  numerous  congregation  to 
be  always  ready  for  death,  for  judgment,  for  heaven.  I 
felt  what  I  spoke;  as  I  believe  did  most  that  were 
present,  both  then  and  in  the  morning,  while  I  besought 
them  to  "  present "  themselves,  "  a  living  sacrifice,  holy, 
acceptable  to  God." 

Sat.  9. — I  rode  slowly  forward  to  Berwick.  I  was 
myself  much  out  of  order;  but  I  would  not  lose  the 


174  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1749 

opportunity  of  calling,  in  the  evening,  all  that  were 
"weary  and  heavy-laden,"  to  Him  who  hath  said,  "I 
will  give  you  rest." 

Tues.  26. — I  had  a  solemn  and  delightful  ride  to 
Keswick,  having  my  mind  stayed  on  God. 

Wed.  27. — I  took  horse  at  half  an  hour  past  three. 
There  was  no  moon,  or  stars,  but  a  thick  mist ;  so  that 
I  could  see  neither  road,  nor  anything  else ;  but  I  went 
as  right  as  if  it  had  been  noon-day.  When  I  drew  nigh 
Penruddock  Moor,  the  mist  vanished,  the  stars  appeared, 
and  the  morning  dawned  ;  so  I  imagined  all  the  danger 
was  past ;  but  when  I  was  on  the  middle  of  the  moor, 
the  mist  fell  again  on  every  side,  and  I  quickly  lost  my 
way.  I  lifted  up  my  heart.  Immediately  it  cleared  up, 
and  I  soon  recovered  the  high-road.  On  Alstone  Moor 
I  missed  my  way  again ;  and  what,  I  believe,  no 
stranger  has  done  lately,  rode  through  all  the  bogs,  with- 
out any  stop,  till  I  came  to  the  vale,  and  thence  to 
Hinely  Hill. 

A  large  congregation  met  in  the  evening.  I  expounded 
part  of  the  twentieth  chapter  of  the  Revelation.  Bui  O 
what  a  time  was  this  !  It  was  as  though  we  were 
already  standing  before  the  "  great  white  throne."  God 
was  no  less  present  with  us  in  prayer ;  when  one  just 
by  me  cried  with  a  loud  and  bitter  cry.  I  besought 
God  to  give  us  a  token  that  all  things  should  work 
together  for  good.  He  did  so :  he  wrote  pardon  upon 
her  heart ;  and  we  all  rejoiced  unto  him  with  reverence. 

Wed.  Oct.  18. — I  rode,  at  the  desire  of  John  Bennet, 
to  Rochdale,  in  Lancashire.  As  soon  as  ever  we 
entered  the  town,  we  found  the  streets  lined  on  both 
sides  with  multitudes  of  people,  shouting,  cursing,  blas- 
pheming, and  gnashing  upon  us  with  their  teeth.  Per- 
ceiving it  would  not  be  practicable  to  preach  abroad,  I 


Oct.  1749      THE  LIONS  OF  BOLTOxN  175 

went  into  a  large  room,  open  to  the  street,  and  called 
aloud,  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  un- 
righteous man  his  thoughts."  The  word  of  God 
prevailed  over  the  fierceness  of  man.  None  opposed  or 
interrupted  ;  and  there  was  a  very  remarkable  change 
in  the  behaviour  of  the  people,  as  we  afterwards  went 
through  the  town. 

Remarkable  Scenes  at  Bolton 
We  came  to  Bolton  about  five  in  the  evening.  We 
had  no  sooner  entered  the  main  street,  than  we  per- 
ceived the  lions  at  Rochdale  were  lambs  in  comparison 
of  those  at  Bolton.  Such  rage  and  bitterness  I  scarce 
ever  saw  before,  in  any  creatures  that  bore  the  form  of 
men.  They  followed  us  in  full  cry  to  the  house  where 
we  went ;  and  as  soon  as  we  were  gone  in,  took  posses- 
sion of  all  the  avenues  to  it,  and  filled  the  street  from 
one  end  to  the  other. 

After  some  time  the  waves  did  not  roar  quite  so  loud. 

Mr.  P  thought  he  might  then  venture  out.  They 

immediately  closed  in,  threw  him  down,  and  rolled  him 
in  the  mire  ;  so  that  when  he  scrambled  from  them,  and 
got  into  the  house  again,  one  could  scarce  tell  what  or 
who  he  was.  When  the  first  stone  came  among  us 
through  the  window,  I  expected  a  shower  to  follow ;  and 
the  rather,  because  they  had  now  procured  a  bell  to  call 
their  whole  forces  together.  But  they  did  not  design  to 
carry  on  the  attack  at  a  distance  :  presently  one  ran  up 
and  told  us,  the  mob  had  burst  into  the  house :  he 

added,  that  they  had  got  J  B          in  the  midst  ot 

them.  They  had;  and  he  laid  hold  on  the  opportunity 
to  tell  them  of  "  the  terrors  of  the  Lord." 

Meantime  D          T          engaged  another  part  of 

them  with  smoother  and  softer  words.    Believing  the 


176 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


Oct.  1749 


time  was  now  come,  I  walked  down  into  the  thickest  of 
them.  They  had  now  filled  all  the  rooms  below.  I 
called  for  a  chair.  The  winds  were  hushed,  and  all  was 
calm  and  still.  My  heart  was  filled  with  love,  my  eyes 
with  tears,  and  my  mouth  with  arguments.  They  were 
amazed,  they  were  ashamed,  they  were  melted  down, 
they  devoured  every  word.  What  a  turn  was  this  !  O 
how  did  God  change  the  counsel  of  the  old  Ahithophel 
into  foolishness;  and  bring  all  the  drunkards,  swearers, 
Sabbath-breakers,  and  mere  sinners  in  the  place,  to  hear 
of  His  plenteous  redemption  ! 

Thur.  19. — Abundantly  more  than  the  house  couid 
contain  were  present  at  five  in  the  morning,  to  whom  I 
was  constrained  to  speak  a  good  deal  longer  than  I  am 
accustomed  to  do.  Perceiving  they  still  wanted  to  hear, 
I  promised  to  preach  again  at  nine,  in  a  meadow  near 
the  town.  Thither  they  flocked  from  every  side ;  and  I 
called  aloud,  "  All  things  are  ready ;  come  unto  the 
marriage."  O  how  have  a  few  hours  changed  the  scene! 
We  could  now  walk  through  every  street  of  the  town, 
and  none  molested  or  opened  his  mouth,  unless  to 
thank  or  bless  us. 

Wesley  at  Dudley  and  Birmingham 
On  Tuesday,  24,  about  noon,  we  came  to  Dudley. 
At  one  I  went  to  the  market-place,  and  proclaimed  the 
name  of  the  Lord  to  an  huge,  unwieldy,  noisy  multi- 
tude ;  the  greater  part  of  whom  seemed  in  no  wise  to 
know  "  wherefore  they  were  come  together."  I  con- 
tinued speaking  about  half  an  hour,  and  many  grew 
serious  and  attentive,  till  some  of  Satan's  servants 
pressed  in,  raging  and  blaspheming,  and  throwing  what- 
ever came  to  hand.  I  then  retired  to  the  house  from 
which  I  came.     The  multitude   poured  after,  and 


March  1750  WESLEY  AND  WHITEFIELD  177 

covered  over  with  dirt  many  that  were  near  me  ;  but  I 
had  only  a  few  specks.  I  preached  in  Wednesbury  at 
four,  to  a  nobler  people,  and  was  greatly  comforted 
among  them :  so  I  was  likewise  in  the  morning,  Wednes- 
day, 25.  How  does  a  praying  congregation  strengthen 
the  preacher ! 

After  preaching  again  at  one,  I  rode  to  Birmingham. 
This  had  been  long  a  dry  uncomfortable  place ;  so  I 
expected  little  good  here :  but  I  was  happily  disappointed. 
Such  a  congregation  I  never  saw  there  before :  not  a 
scoffer,  nor  a  trifler,  not  an  inattentive  person  (so  far  as 
I  could  discern)  among  them  ;  and  seldom  have  I  known 
so  deep,  solemn  a  sense  of  the  power,  and  presence,  and 
love  of  God.  The  same  blessing  we  had  at  the  meeting 
of  the  society;  and  again  at  the  morning  preaching. 
Will  then  God  at  length  cause  even  this  barren  wilder- 
ness to  blossom  and  bud  as  the  rose  ? 

Wesley  in  Wales 
1750.  Sun.  Jan.  28. — I  read  prayers  (in  London), 

and  Mr.  Whitefield  preached.  How  wise  is  God  in 
giving  different  talents  to  different  preachers !  Even 
the  httle  improprieties  both  of  his  language  and  manner 
were  a  means  of  profiting  many,  who  would  not  have 
been  touched  by  a  more  correct  discourse,  or  a  more 
calm  and  regular  manner  of  speaking. 

Tues.  March  6  (Bristol). — I  began  writing  a  short 
French  Grammar.  We  observed  Wednesday,  7,  as  a 
day  of  fasting  and  prayer. 

Sun.  1 1 . — I  should  willingly  have  spent  more  time 
in  Bristol ;  finding  more  and  more  proofs  that  God  was 
reviving  His  work  ;  but  that  the  accounts  I  received 
from  Ireland  made  me  think  it  my  duty  to  be  there  as 
soon  as  possible;  so,  on  Monday,  19,  I  set  out  with 

M 


178 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL     March  1750 


Christopher  Hopper  for  the  New  Passage.  When  we 
came  there,  the  wind  was  high,  and  almost  full  against 
us  :  nevertheless  we  crossed  in  less  than  two  hours,  and 
reached  Cardiff  before  night ;  where  I  preached  at  seven, 
and  found  much  refreshment. 

Tues.  20. — Expecting  to  preach  at  Aberdare,  sixteen 
Welsh  miles  from  Cardiff,  I  rode  thither  over  the 
mountains.  But  we  found  no  notice  had  been  given  : 
so,  after  resting  an  hour,  we  set  out  for  Brecknock. 
The  rain  did  not  intermit  at  all,  till  we  came  within 
sight  of  it.  Twice  my  horse  fell  down,  and  threw  me 
over  his  head ;  but  without  any  hurt,  either  to  man  or 
beast. 

Wed.  21. — We  rode  to  Builth,  where  we  found  notice 
had  been  given,  that  Howell  Harris  would  preach  at 
noon.  By  this  means  a  large  congregation  was  assembled ; 
but  Howell  did  not  come  :  so,  at  their  request,  I  preached. 
Between  four  and  five  Mr.  Philips  set  out  with  us  for 
Royader,  I  was  much  out  of  order  in  the  morning: 
however,  I  held  out  to  Llanidloes,  and  then  lay  down. 
After  an  hour's  sleep  I  was  much  better,  and  rode  on  to 
Machynlleth. 

About  an  hour  and  a  half  before  we  came  to  Dolgelly, 
the  heavy  rain  began.  We  were  on  the  brow  of  the  hill, 
so  we  took  all  that  came,  our  horses  being  able  to  go 
but  half  a  foot-pace.  But  we  had  amends  made  us  at 
our  inn :  John  Lewis,  and  all  his  house,  gladly  joined 
with  us  in  prayer ;  and  all  we  spoke  to  appeared  willing 
to  hear  and  to  receive  the  truth  in  love. 

Fri.  23. — Before  we  looked  out,  we  heard  the  roaring 
of  the  wind,  and  the  beating  of  the  rain.  We  took 
horse  at  five.  It  rained  incessantly  all  the  way  we  rode. 
And  when  we  came  on  the  great  mountain,  four  miles 
from  the  town  (by  which  time  I  was  wet  from  my  neck 


March  1750    IRISH  BOAT  DELAYED  179 

to  my  waist),  it  was  with  great  difficulty  I  could  avoid 
being  borne  over  my  mare's  head,  the  wind  being  ready 
to  carry  us  all  away :  nevertheless,  about  ten  we  came 
safe  to  Dannabull,  praising  Him  who  saves  both  man 
and  beast. 

Our  horses  being  well  tired,  and  ourselves  thoroughly 
wet,  we  rested  the  remainder  of  the  day ;  the  rather, 
because  several  of  the  family  understood  English — an 
uncommon  thing  in  these  parts.  We  spoke  closely  to 
these;  and  they  appeared  much  affected,  particularly 
when  we  all  joined  in  prayer. 

Waiting  for  the  Irish  Boat 
Sat.  24. — We  set  out  at  five,  and  at  six  came  to  the 
sands.  But  the  tide  was  in,  so  that  we  could  not  pass : 
so  I  sat  down  in  a  little  cottage  for  three  or  four  hours, 
and  translated  Aldrlch's  "  Logic."  About  ten  we  passed, 
and  before  five  came  to  Balden  Ferry,  and  found  the 
boat  ready  for  us :  but  the  boatmen  desired  us  to  stay 
a  while,  saying,  the  wind  was  too  high,  and  the  tide  too 
strong.  The  secret  was,  they  stayed  for  more  passengers ; 
and  it  was  well  they  did :  for  while  we  were  walking  to 
and  fro,  Mr.  Jenkin  Morgan  came ;  at  whose  house, 
near  half-way  between  the  ferry  and  Holyhead,  I  had 
lodged  three  years  before.  The  night  soon  came  on ; 
but  our  guide,  knowing  all  the  country,  brought  us  safe 
to  his  own  door. 

Sun.  25. — I  preached  at  Howell  Thomas's,  in 
Trefollwin  parish,  to  a  small,  earnest  congregation. 

The  wind  being  contrary,  I  accepted  of  the  invitation 
of  an  honest  exciseman  (Mr.  Holloway),  to  stay  at  his 
house  till  it  should  change.  Here  I  was  in  a  little, 
quiet,  solitary  spot,  where  no  human  voice  was  heard, 
but  those  of  the  family.    On  Tuesday  I  desired  Mr. 


180 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL      March  1750 


Hopper  to  ride  over  to  Holyhead,  and  inquire  concerning 
our  passage.  He  brought  word,  that  we  might  probably 
pass  in  a  day  or  two :  so  on  Wednesday  we  both  went 
thither.  Here  w^e  overtook  John  Jane,  who  had  set  out 
on  foot  from  Bristol  with  three  shillings  in  his  pocket. 
Six  nights  out  of  the  seven  since  he  set  out,  he  had  been 
entertained  by  utter  strangers.  He  went  by  us  we  could 
not  tell  how,  and  reached  Holyhead  on  Sunday,  with  one 
penny  left. 

By  him  we  sent  back  our  horses  to  Mr.  Morgan's.  I 
had  a  large  congregation  in  the  evening.  It  almost 
grieved  me,  I  could  give  them  but  one  sermon,  now  they 
were  at  length  willing  to  hear.  About  eleven  we  were 
called  to  go  on  board,  the  wind  being  quite  fair :  and  so 
it  continued  till  we  were  just  out  of  the  harbour.  It  then 
turned  west,  and  blew  a  storm.  There  was  neither 
moon  nor  stars,  but  rain  and  wind  enough ;  so  that  I 
was  soon  tired  of  staying  on  deck.  But  we  met  another 
storm  below :  for  who  should  be  there,  but  the  famous 

Mr.  Gr  ,  of  Carnarvonshire — a  clumsy,  overgrown, 

hard-faced  man ;  whose  countenance  I  could  only  com- 
pare to  that  (which  I  saw  inDruryLane  thirty  years  ago) 
of  one  of  the  rufifians  in  "  Macbeth."  I  was  going  to 
lie  down,  when  he  tumbled  in,  and  poured  out  such  a 
volley  of  ribaldry,  obscenity,  and  blasphemy,  every  second 
or  third  word  being  an  oath,  as  was  scarce  ever  heard  at 
BiUingsgate.  Finding  there  was  no  room  for  me  to 
speak,  I  retired  into  my  cabin,  and  left  him  to  Mr. 
Hopper.  Soon  after,  one  or  two  of  his  own  company 
interposed,  and  carried  him  back  to  his  cabin. 

Thur.  29. — We  wrought  our  way  four  or  five 
leagues  toward  Ireland ;  but  were  driven  back  in  the 
afternoon  to  the  very  mouth  of  the  harbour ;  nevertheless 
the  wind  shitting  one  or  two  points,  we  ventured  out 


March  1750    A  RABBLE  OF  GENTLEMEN  ISl 


again;  and  by  midnight  we  were  got  about  half  seas 
overj  but  the  wind  then  turning  full  against  us,  and 
blowing  hard,  we  were  driven  back  again,  and  were  glad, 
about  nine,  to  get  into  the  bay  once  more. 

In  the  evening  I  was  surprised  to  see,  instead  of  some 
poor,  plain  people,  a  room  full  of  men,  daubed  with 
gold  and  silver.  That  I  might  not  go  out  of  their 
depth,  I  began  expounding  the  story  of  Dives  and 
Lazarus.  It  was  more  applicable  than  I  was  aware; 
several  of  them  (as  I  afterwards  learned)  being  eminently 
wicked  men.  I  delivered  ray  own  soul ;  but  they  could 
in  nowise  bear  it.  One  and  another  walked  away, 
murmuring  sorely.  Four  stayed  till  I  drew  to  a  close ; 
they  then  put  on  their  hats,  and  began  talking  to  one 
another.  I  mildly  reproved  them ;  on  which  they  rose 
up  and  went  away,  railing  and  blaspheming.  I  had  then 
a  comfortable  hour  with  a  company  of  plain,  honest 
Welshmen. 

** Where  is  the  Parson?** 

In  the  night  there  was  a  vehement  storm.  Blessed 
be  God  that  we  were  safe  on  shore  !  Saturday,  31.  I 
determined  to  wait  one  week  longer,  and,  if  we  could 
not  sail  then,  to  go  and  wait  for  a  ship  at  Bristol. 
At  seven  in  the  evening,  just  as  I  was  going  down  to 
preach,  I  heard  a  huge  noise,  and  took  knowledge  of  the 
rabble  of  gentlemen.  They  had  now  strengthened  them- 
selves with  drink  and  numbers,  and  placed  Captain 

Gr          (as  they  called  him)  at  their  head.    He  soon 

burst  open  both  the  outward  and  inner  door,  struck  old 
Robert  Griffith,  our  landlord,  several  times,  kicked  his 
wife,  and,  with  twenty  full-mouthed  oaths  and  curses, 
demanded,  "  Where  is  the  parson  ?  "  Robert  Griffith 
came  up,  and  desired  me  to  go  into  another  room. 


IS2  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1750 

where  he  locked  me  in.  The  captain  followed  him 
quickly,  broke  open  one  or  two  doors,  and  got  on  a 
chair,  to  look  on  the  top  of  a  bed  :  but  his  foot  slipping 
(as  he  was  not  a  man  made  for  climbing),  he  fell  down 
backward  all  his  length.  He  rose  leisurely,  turned 
about,  and,  with  his  troop,  walked  away. 

I  then  went  down  to  a  small  company  of  the  poor 
people,  and  spent  half  an  hour  with  them  in  prayer. 
About  nine,  as  we  were  preparing  to  go  to  bed,  the 
house  was  beset  again.  The  captain  burst  in  first. 
Robert  GrifiSth's  daughter  was  standing  in  the  passage 
with  a  pail  of  water,  with  which  (whether  with  design  or 
in  her  fright,  I  know  not)  she  covered  him  from  head  to 
foot.  He  cried  as  well  as  he  could,  "  M — urder !  Murder ! " 
and  stood  very  still  for  some  moments.  In  the  mean 
time  Robert  Griffith  stepped  by  him  and  locked  the 
door.  Finding  himself  alone,  he  began  to  change  his 
voice,  and  cry,  "  Let  me  out !  Let  me  out !  "  Upon 
his  giving  his  word  and  honour,  that  none  of  the 
rest  should  come  in,  they  opened  the  door,  and  all  went 
away  together. 

Wesley  Intet-views  Mrs.  Pilkington 
Thur.  April  12  (DubHn). — I  breakfasted  with  one  of 
the  society,  and  found  she  had  a  lodger  I  little  thought 
of.  It  was  the  famous  Mrs.  Pilkington,  who  soon 
made  an  excuse  for  following  me  up  stairs.  I  talked 
with  her  seriously  about  an  hour  :  we  then  sung, 
"  Happy  Magdalene."  She  appeared  to  be  exceed- 
ingly struck :  how  long  the  impression  may  last,  God 
knows. 

Sun.  May  20  (Cork). — Understanding  the  usual 
place  of  preaching  would  by  no  means  contain  those 
who  desired  to  hear,  about  eight  I  went  to  Hammond's 


May  1750         TROUBLE  IN  CORK  183 

Marsh.  The  congregation  was  large  and  deeply  atten- 
tive. A  few  of  the  rabble  gathered  at  a  distance ;  but 
by  little  and  little  they  drew  near,  and  mixed  with  the 
congregation :  so  that  I  have  seldom  seen  a  more 
quiet  and  orderly  assembly  at  any  church  in  England  or 
Ireland. 

In  the  afternoon,  a  report  being  spread  abroad  that 
the  mayor  designed  to  hinder  my  preaching  on  the 
Marsh  in  the  evening,  I  desired  Mr.  Skelton  and  Mr. 
Jones  to  wait  upon  him,  and  inquire  concerning  it. 
Mr.  Skelton  asked,  if  my  preaching  there  would  be 
disagreeable  to  him ;  adding,  "  Sir,  if  it  would,  Mr. 
Wesley  will  not  do  it."  He  replied  warmly,  "  Sir,  I'll 
have  no  mobbing."  Mr.  Skeleton  replied,  "  Sir,  there 
was  none  this  morning."  He  answered,  "There  was. 
Are  there  not  churches  and  meeting-houses  enough? 
I  will  have  no  more  mobs  or  riots."  Mr.  Skelton 
replied,  "  Sir,  neither  Mr.  Wesley  nor  they  that  heard 
him  made  either  mobs  or  riots."  He  answered  plain, 
"  I  will  have  no  more  preaching ;  and  if  Mr.  Wesley 
attempts  to  preach,  I  am  prepared  for  him." 

I  began  preaching  in  our  own  house  soon  after  five. 
Mr.  Mayor  meantime  was  walking  in  the  'Change,  and 
giving  orders  to  the  town-drummers  and  to  his  sergeants 
— doubtless  to  go  down  and  keep  the  peace !  They 
accordingly  came  down  to  the  house,  with  an  innumer- 
able mob  attending  them.  They  continued  drumming, 
and  I  continued  preaching,  till  I  had  finished  my  dis- 
course. When  I  came  out,  the  mob  immediately  closed 
me  in.  Observing  one  of  the  sergeants  standing  by,  I 
desired  him  to  keep  the  King's  peace ;  but  he  replied, 
"  Sir,  I  have  no  orders  to  do  that."  As  soon  as  I  came 
into  the  street,  the  rabble  threw  whatever  came  to  hand  ; 
but  all  went  by  me,  or  flew  over  my  head ;  nor  do  I 


184  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1750 

remember  that  one  thing  touched  me.  I  walked  on 
straight  through  the  midst  of  the  rabble,  looking  every 
man  before  me  in  the  face;  and  they  opened  on  the 
right  and  left,  till  I  came  near  Dant's  Bridge.  A  large 
party  had  taken  possession  of  this,  one  of  whom  was 
bawling  out,  "  Now,  hey  for  the  Romans  !  "  When  I 
came  up,  they  likewise  shrunk  back,  and  I  walked 
through  them  to  Mr.  Jenkins's  house;  but  a  Papist 
stood  just  within  the  door,  and  endeavoued  to  hinder 
my  going  in ;  till  one  of  the  mob  (I  suppose  aiming  at 
me,  but  missing)  knocked  her  down  flat.  I  then  went 
in,  and  God  restrained  the  wild  beasts,  so  that  not  one 
attempted  to  follow  me. 

But  many  of  the  congregation  were  more  roughly 
handled,  particularly  Mr.  Jones,  who  was  covered  with 
dirt,  and  escaped  with  his  life  almost  by  miracle.  The 
main  body  of  the  mob  then  went  to  the  house,  brought 
out  all  the  seats  and  benches,  tore  up  the  floor,  the  door, 
the  frames  of  the  windows,  and  whatever  of  wood-work 
remained ;  part  of  which  they  carried  off  for  their  own 
use,  and  the  rest  they  burnt  in  the  open  street. 

Finding  there  was  no  probability  of  their  dispersing, 
I  sent  to  Alderman  Pembrock,  who  immediately  desired 
Mr.  Alderman  Windthrop,  his  nephew,  to  go  down  to 
Mr.  Jenkins,  with  whom  I  walked  up  the  street,  none 
gi^ung  me  an  unkind  or  disrespectful  word. 

Wesley  Burnt  in  Effigy 
Mon.  21. — I  rode  on  to  Bandon.     From  three  in 
the  afternoon  till  past  seven,  the  mob  of  Cork  marched 
^  in  grand  procession,  and  then  burnt  me  in  effigy  near 
Dant's  Bridge. 

Wed.  23. — The  mob  was  still  patrolling  the  streets, 
abusing  all  that  were  called  Methodists,  and  threatening 


May  I750        THE  "SWADDLERS 


185 


to  murder  them  and  pull  down  their  houses,  if  they  did 
not  leave  this  way. 

Thur.  24. — They  again  assaulted  Mr.  Stockdale's 
house,  broke  down  the  boards  he  had  nailed  up  against 
the  windows,  destroyed  what  little  remained  of  the 
window-frames  and  shutters,  and  damaged  a  considerable 
part  of  his  goods. 

Fri.  25. — One  Roger  O'Ferrall  fixed  up  an  adver- 
tisement at  the  public  Exchange,  that  he  was  ready  to 
head  any  mob,  in  order  to  pull  down  any  house  that 
should  dare  to  harbour  a  swaddler.  (A  name  given  to 
Mr.  Cennick  first  by  a  Popish  priest,  who  heard  him 
speak  of  a  child  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes;  and 
probably  did  not  know  the  expression  was  in  the  Bible, 
a  book  he  was  not  much  acquainted  with.) 

At  this  time  God  gave  us  great  peace  at  Bandon,  not- 
withstanding the  unwearied  labours,  both  public  and 

private,  of  good  Dr.  B.  ,  to  stir  up  the  people. 

But,  Saturday,  26,  many  were  under  great  apprehen- 
sions of  what  was  to  be  done  in  the  evening.  I  began  ' 
preaching  in  the  main  street  at  the  usual  hour,  but  to 
more  than  twice  the  usual  congregation.  After  I  had 
spoke  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  a  clergyman,  who 
had  planted  himself  near  me,  with  a  very  large  stick 
in  his  hand,  according  to  agreement,  opened  the  scene. 
(Indeed  his  friends  assured  me  he  was  in  drink,  or 
he  would  not  have  done  it.)  But,  before  he  had 
uttered  many  words,  two  or  three  resolute  women,  by 
main  strength,  pulled  him  into  a  house;  and,  after 
expostulating  a  little,  sent  him  away  through  the  garden. 

The  next  champion  that   appeared  was   one  Mr. 

M  ,  a  young  gentleman  of  the  town.     He  was 

attended  by  two  others,  with  pistols  in  their  hands. 
But  his  triumph  too  was  but  short ;  some  of  the  people 


J  86  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1750 

quickly  bore  him  away,  though  with  much  gentleness 
and  civility. 

The  third  came  on  with  greater  fury ;  but  he  was  en- 
countered by  a  butcher  of  the  town  (not  one  of  the 
Methodists),  who'used  him  as  he  would  an  ox,  bestowing 
one  or  two  hearty  blows  upon  his  head.  This  cooled 
his  courage,  especially  as  none  took  his  part.  So  1 
quietly  finished  my  discourse. 

Visits  to  Kinsale  and  Cork 
Mon.  28. — I  rode  to  Kinsale,  one  of  the  pleasantest 
towns  which  I  have  seen  in  Ireland.  At  seven  I 
preached  at  the  Exchange,  to  a  few  gentry,  many  poor 
people,  and  abundance  of  soldiers.  All  behaved  like 
men  that  feared  God.    After  sermon  came  one  from 

Cork,  and  informed  us  Mr.  W  had  preached  both 

morning  and  afternoon  under  the  wall  of  the  barracks ; 
that  the  town-drummers  came  ;  but  the  soldiers  assured 
them  if  they  went  to  beat  there  they  would  be  all  cut  in 
pieces ;  that  then  the  mayor  came  himself,  at  the  head 
of  his  mob,  but  could  make  no  considerable  disturbance ; 
that  he  went  and  talked  to  the  commanding  officer,  but 
with  so  little  success,  that  the  colonel  came  out  and 
declared  to  the  mob,  they  must  make  no  riot  there. 
Here  is  a  turn  of  affairs  worthy  of  God  !  Doth  He  not 
rule  in  heaven  and  earth  ? 

Wed.  30. — I  rode  to  Cork.    By  talking  with  Captain 

 ,  I  found  there  was  no  depending  on  the  good 

offices  of  the  colonel.  He  had  told  the  captain  with 
great  openness,  "  If  Mr.  Wesley  preached  in  the  bar- 
racks, and  the  mob  were  to  come  and  break  the  windows, 
I  might  have  a  long  bill  from  the  barrack-master." 
Break  the  windows !  Nay,  it  is  well  if  they  had  not 
broken  the  bones  of  all  the  soldiers. 


May  1750         THE  IRISH  HOWL  187 

A  little  before  five  I  walked  towards  the  barracks. 
The  boys  quickly  gathered,  and  were  more  and  more 
turbulent.  But  in  a  moment  all  was  quiet.  This,  I  after- 
wards found,  was  owing  to  Mr.  W  ,  who  snatched 

a  stick  out  of  a  man's  hand,  and  brandished  it  over  his 
head,  on  which  the  whole  troop  valiantly  ran  away. 

AVhen  we  came  over  the  south  bridge,  a  large  mob 
gathered ;  but  before  they  were  well  formed  we  reached 
the  barrack  gate ;  at  a  small  distance  from  which  I  stood 
and  cried,  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way."  The 
congregation  of  serious  people  was  large;  the  mob 
stood  about  a  hundred  yards  off.  I  was  a  little  sur- 
prised to  observe,  that  almost  all  the  soldiers  kept 
together  in  a  body  near  the  gate,  and  knew  not  but  the 
report  might  be  true,  that,  on  a  signal  given,  they  were 
all  to  retire  into  the  barracks ;  but  they  never  stirred 
until  I  had  done.  As  we  walked  away,  one  or  two  of 
them  followed  us.  Their  numbers  increased,  until  we 
had  seven  or  eight  before  and  a  whole  troop  of  them 
behind ;  between  whom  I  walked,  through  an  immense 
mob,  to  Alderman  Pembrock's  door. 

At  an  Irish  Funeral 
Thurs.  31. — I  rode  to  Rathcormuck.  There  being 
a  great  burying  in  the  afternoon,  to  which  people  came 
from  all  parts,  ]\Ir.  Lloyd  read  part  of  the  burial  service 
in  the  church ;  after  which  I  preached  on,  "  The  end  of 
all  things  is  at  hand."  I  was  exceedingly  shocked  at 
(what  I  had  only  heard  of  before)  the  Irish  howl  which 
followed.  It  was  not  a  song,  as  I  supposed,  but  a 
dismal,  inarticulate  yell,  set  up  at  the  grave  by  four 
shrill-voiced  women,  who  (we  understood)  were  hired 
for  that  purpose.  But  I  saw  not  one  that  shed  a  tear ; 
for  that  it  seems,  was  not  in  their  bargain. 


188  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1750 

Wed.  June  13. — I  rode  to  Shronill  again ;  and  in  the 
morning,  Timrsday,  14,  to  Clonmell,  After  an  hour's 
rest  we  set  forward,  but  were  obliged  to  stop  in  the 
afternoon,  sooner  than  we  designed,  by  my  horse 
having  a  shoe  loose.  The  poor  man,  at  whose  house  we 
called,  was  not  only  patient  of  exhortation,  but  exceed- 
ing thankful  for  it.  We  afterwards  missed  our  way ;  so 
that  it  was  near  eight  o'clock  before  we  got  over  the 
ferry,  a  mile  short  of  Waterford. 

At  the  ferry  was  a  lad  who  asked  my  name.  When 
he  heard  it,  he  cried  out,  "  O  Sir,  you  have  no  business 
here;  you  have  nothing  to  do  at  Waterford.  Butler 
has  been  gathering  mobs  there  all  this  week ;  and  they 
set  upon  us  so,  that  we  cannot  walk  the  streets.  But  if 
you  will  stay  at  that  little  house,  I  will  go  and  bring  B. 
M'Cullock  to  you." 

We  stayed  some  time,  and  then  thought  it  best  to  go  a 
little  on  our  way  toward  Portarlington.  But  the  ferryman 
would  not  come  over  :  so  that,  after  waiting  till  we  were 
weary,  we  made  our  way  through  some  grounds,  and 
over  the  mountain,  into  the  Carrick  road ;  and  went  on, 
about  five  miles,  to  a  village  where  we  found  a  quiet 
house.  Sufficient  for  this  day  was  the  labour  thereof. 
We  were  on  horseback,  with  but  an  hour  or  two's  inter- 
mission, from  fivo  in  the  morning,  till  within  a  quarter 
of  eleven  at  night. 

Fri.  15. — About  two  in  the  morning  I  heard 
people  making  a  great  noise,  and  calling  me  by  my 
name.  They  were  some  of  our  friends  from  Waterford, 
who  informed  us,  that,  upon  the  lad's  coming  in,  six- 
teen or  eighteen  of  them  came  out,  to  conduct  me  into 
the  town.  Not  finding  me,  they  returned ;  but  the  mob 
met  them  by  the  way,  and  pelted  them  with  dirt  and 
stones  to  their  own  doors. 


June  1750        ATTACKED  BY  DOGS  189 

We  set  out  at  four,  and  reached  Kilkenny,  about 
twenty-five  old  Irish  miles,  about  noon.  This  is  by  far 
the  most  pleasant,  as  well  as  most  fruitful  country, 
which  I  have  seen  in  all  Ireland.  Our  way  after  dinner 
lay  by  Dunmore,  the  seat  of  the  late  Duke  of  Ormond. 
We  rode  through  the  park  for  about  two  miles,  by  the 
side  of  which  the  river  runs.  I  never  saw  either  in 
England,  Holland,  or  Germany,  so  delightful  a  place. 
The  walks,  each  consisting  of  four  rows  of  ashes,  the 
tufts  of  trees  sprinkled  up  and  down,  interspersed  with 
the  smoothest  and  greenest  lawns,  are  beautiful  beyond 
description.  And  what  hath  the  owner  thereof,  the 
Earl  of  Arran  ?  Not  even  the  beholding  it  with  his 
eyes. 

Wesley  Rides  Ninety  Miles 

My  horse  tired  in  the  afternoon  ;  so  I  left  him  behind, 
and  borrowed  that  of  my  companion.  I  came  to  Aymo 
about  eleven,  and  would  very  willingly  have  passed  the 
rest  of  the  night  there  ;  but  the  good  woman  of  the  inn 
was  not  minded  that  I  should.  For  some  time  she 
would  not  answer :  at  last  she  opened  the  door  just 
wide  enough  to  let  out  four  dogs  upon  me.  So  I  rode 
on  to  Ballybrittas,  expecting  a  rough  salute  here  too, 
from  a  large  dog  which  used  to  be  in  the  yard.  But  he 
never  stirred,  till  the  hostler  waked  and  came  out. 
About  twelve  I  laid  me  down.  I  think  this  was  the 
longest  day's  journey  I  ever  rode ;  being  fifty  old  Irish, 
that  is,  about  ninety  English  miles. 

Thurs.  21. — I  returned  to  Closeland,  and  preached  . 
in  the  evening  to  a  little,  earnest  company.    O  who 
should  drag  me  into  a  great  city,  if  I  did  not  know  therei 
is  another  world  !  How  gladly  could  I  spend  the  re- 
mainder of  a  busy  life  in  solitude  and  retirement  1 


190  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1750 

Thur.  Sept.  6. — I  rode  to  Salisbury  and  preached  at 
Winterburn  in  the  evening ;  the  next,  at  Reading ;  and, 
on  Saturday,  8,  came  to  London. 

Here  I  had,  the  following  account  from  one  of  our 
preachers : — 

"  John  Jane  was  never  well  after  walking  from 
Epworth  to  Hainton,  on  an  exceeding  hot  day,  ^Yhich 
threw  him  into  a  fever.  But  he  was  in  great  peace  and 
love,  even  to  those  who  greatly  wanted  love  to  him.  He 
was  some  time  at  Alice  Shadforth's  house,  with  whom 
he  daily  talked  of  the  things  of  God.  He  was  never 
without  the  love  of  God,  spent  much  time  in  private 
prayer,  and  joined  likewise  with  her  in  prayer  several 
times  in  a  day.  On  Friday,  August  24,  growing,  as  she 
thought,  stronger  in  body,  he  sat  in  the  evening  by  the 
fire-side :  about  six  he  fetched  a  deep  sigh,  and  never 
spoke  more.  He  was  alive  till  the  same  hour  on 
Saturday ;  at  which,  without  any  struggle,  or  any  sign  of 
pain,  with  a  smile  on  his  face,  he  passed  away.  His  last 
words  were,  •  I  find  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.' 

He  Left  One  Shilling  and  Foufpence 

"  All  his  clothes,  linen  and  woollen,  stockings,  hat, 
and  wig,  are  not  thought  sufficient  to  answer  his  funeral 
expenses,  which  amount  to  one  pound  seventeen  shillings 
and  threepence.  All  the  money  he  had  was  one  shilling 
and  fourpence."  Enough  for  any  unmarried  preacher 
of  the  Gospel  to  leave  to  his  executors. 

Mon.  17. — My  brother  set  out  for  the  north;  but 
returned  the  next  day,  much  out  of  order.  How  little 
do  we  know  the  counsels  of  God !  But  we  know  they 
are  all  wise  and  gracious. 

Wed.  19. — When  I  came  home  in  the  evening,  I 
found  my  brother  abundantly  worse.    He  had  had  no 


Sept.  1750  EDITING  MILTON  l.Ql 

sleep  for  several  nights ;  and  expected  none,  unless  from 
opiates.  I  went  down  to  our  brethren  below,  and  we 
made  our  request  known  to  God.  When  I  went  up 
again  he  was  in  a  sound  sleep,  which  continued  till  the 
morning. 

Fri.  21. — We  had  a  watch-night  at  Spitalfields.  I 
often  wonder  at  the  peculiar  providence  of  God  on  these 
occasions.  I  do  not  know  that  in  so  many  years  one 
person  has  ever  been  hurt,  either  in  London,  Bristol,  or 
Dublin,  in  going  so  late  in  the  night  to  and  from  all 
parts  of  the  town. 

Sun.  23. — My  brother  being  not  yet  able  to  assist,  I 
had  more  employment  to-day  than  I  expected.  In  the 
morning  I  read  prayers,  preached,  and  administered  the 
sacrament  to  a  large  congregation  in  Spitalfields.  The 
service  at  West  Street  continued  from  nine  till  one.  At 
five  I  called  the  sinners  in  Moorfields  to  repentance. 
And,  when  I  had  finished  my  work  found  more  liveliness 
and  strength  than  I  did  at  six  in  the  morning. 

Wesley  as  Editor 
Mon.  24. — I  kft  London,  and,  the  next  morning, 
called  at  what  is  styled  the  Half-way  House.  Quickly 
after,  as  a  young  man  was  riding  by  the  door,  both  horse 
and  man  tumbled  over  each  other.  As  soon  as  he  got 
up,  he  began  cursing  his  horse.  I  spoke  a  few  words, 
and  he  was  calm.  He  told  me,  he  did  fear  God  once  ; 
but  for  some  time  past  he  had  cared  for  nothing.  He 
went  away  full  of  good  resolutions.  God  bring  them  to 
good  effect ! 

I  reached  Kingswood  in  the  evening ;  and  the  next 
day  selected  passages  of  Milton  for  the  eldest  children 
to  transcribe  and  repeat  weekly. 

Thur.  27. — I  went  into  the  school,  and  heard  half  the 


192  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Dec.  1750 

children  their  lessons,  and  then  selected  passages  of  the 
"Moral  and  Sacred  Poems."  Friday,  28.  I  heard  the 
other  half  of  the  children.  Saturday,  29.  I  was  with 
them  from  four  to  five  in  the  morning.  I  spent  most 
of  the  day  in  revising  Rennet's  "  Antiquities,"  and 
marking  what  was  worth  reading  in  the  school. 

Wed.  Oct.  3. — I  revised,  for  the  use  of  the  children, 
Archbishop  Potter's  "  Grecian  Antiquities  "  ;  a  dry,  dull, 
heavy  book.  Thursday,  4.  I  revised  Mr.  Lewis's 
"Hebrew  Antiquities";  something  more  entertaining 
than  the  other,  and  abundantly  more  instructive. 

Sat.  6. — I  nearly  finished  the  abridgment  of  Dr.  Cave's 
"  Primitive  Christianity "  ;  a  book  wrote  with  as  much 
learning,  and  as  little  judgment,  as  any  I  remember  to 
have  read  in  my  whole  life  ;  serving  the  ancient  Christians 
just  as  Xenophon  did  Socrates ;  relating  every  weak 
thing  they  ever  said  or  did. 

Thur.  1 1. — I  prepared  a  short  "  History  of  England," 
for  the  use  of  the  children ;  and  on  Friday  and  Saturday 
a  short  "  Roman  History,"  as  an  introduction  to  the 
Latin  historians. 

Mon.  15. — I  read  over  Mr.  Holmes's  "Latin 
Grammar  " ;  and  extracted  from  it  what  was  needful  to 
perfect  our  own. 

In  Canterbury  Cathedral 

Mon.  Dec.  3. — I  rode  to  Canterbury,  and  preached 
on  Rev.  XX.  A  few  turbulent  people  made  a  little  noise, 
as  I  found  it  was  their  custom  to  do.  Perceiving  more 
of  them  were  gathered  the  next  night,  I  turned  and 
spoke  to  them  at  large.  They  appeared  to  be  not  a 
little  confounded,  and  went  away  as  quiet  as  lambs. 

Wed.  5. — I  walked  over  the  cathedral,  and  surveyed 
the  monuments  of  the  ancient  men  of  renown.  One 


Jan.  I75I  WESLEY  AS  VOTER 


193 


would  think  such  a  sight  should  strike  an  utter  damp 
upon  human  vanity.  What  are  the  great,  the  fair,  the 
valiant  now?  the  matchless  warrior — the  puissant 
monarch  ? — 

An  heap  of  dust  is  all  remains  of  thee ! 
Tis  all  thou  art,  and  all  the  proud  shall  be. 

Mon.  10. — I  rode  to  Leigh,  in  Essex,  where  I  found 
a  little  company  seeking  God;  and  endeavoured  to 
encourage  them  in  "  provoking  one  another  to  love  and 
good  works." 

Mon.  17. — I  set  upon  cleansing  Augeas's  stable;'^ 
upon  purging  that  huge  work,  Mr.  Fox's  "  Acts  and 
Monuments,"  from  all  the  trash  which  that  honest, 
injudicious  writer  has  heaped  together,  and  mingled 
with  those  venerable  records,  which  are  worthy  to  be  had 
in  everlasting  remembrance. 

1751.  Wed.  Jan.  30. — Having  received  a  pressing 
letter  from  Dr.  Isham,  then  the  rector  of  our  college, 
to  give  my  vote  at  the  election  for  a  Member  of  Parlia- 
ment, which  was  to  be  the  next  day,  I  set  out  early,  in  a 
severe  frost,  with  the  north-west  wind  full  in  my  face. 
The  roads  were  so  slippery,  that  it  was  scarce  possible 
for  our  horses  to  keep  their  feet :  indeed  one  of  them 
could  not ;  but  fell  upon  his  head,  and  cut  it  terribly. 
Nevertheless,  about  seven  in  the  evening,  God  brought 
us  safe  to  Oxford.  A  congregation  was  waiting  for  me 
at  Mr.  Evans's,  whom  I  immediately  addressed  in  those 
awful  words,  "  What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  " 

Thur.  31. — I  went  to  the  schools,  where  the  Convo- 
cation was  met :  but  I  did  not  find  the  decency  and 
order  which  I  expected.  The  gentleman  for  whom  I 
came  to  vote  was  not  elected  :  yet  I  did  not  repent  of 

N 


19* 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


Feb.  1751 


my  coming  ;  I  owe  much  more  than  this  to  that  gener- 
ous, friendly  man,  who  now  rests  from  his  labours. 

I  was  much  surprised  wherever  I  went,  at  the  civility 
of  the  people— »-gentlemen  as  well  as  others.  There  was 
no  pointing,  no  calling  of  names,  as  once ;  no,  nor  even 
laughter.  What  can  this  mean?  Am  I  become  a 
servant  of  men  ?    Or  is  the  scandal  of  the  cross  ceased  ? 

Wesley  Decides  to  Marry 

Fri.  Feb.  i. — We  set  out  for  London  in  another 
bitter  morning,  having  such  a  wind  (now  got  to  the  east, 
and  so  in  our  face  again)  as  I  hardly  ever  remember. 
But  by  five  in  the  evening  we  were  under  shelter  at  the 
Foundery.  It  being  the  night  before  appointed  for  a 
watch-night,  we  continued  praying  and  praising  God  as 
usual,  till  about  twelve  o'clock  :  and  I  found  no  in- 
convenience, but  a  little  faintness,  which  a  few  hours' 
sleep  removed. 

Sat.  2. — Having  received  a  full  answer  from  Mr.  P  , 

I  was  clearly  convinced  that  I  ought  to  marry.  For 
many  years  I  remained  single  because  I  believed  I  could 
be  more  useful  in  a  single,  than  in  a  married  state.  And 
I  praise  God,  who  enabled  me  so  to  do.  I  now  as  fully 
believed,  that  in  my  present  circumstances,  I  might  be 
more  useful  in  a  married  state ;  into  which,  upon  this 
clear  conviction,  and  by  the  advice  of  my  friends,  I 
entered  a  few  days  after. 

Wed.  6. — I  met  the  single  men,  and  showed  them  on 
how  many  accounts  it  was  good  for  those  who  had 
received  that  gift  from  God,  to  remain  "  single  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven's  sake  "  ;  unless  where  a  particular 
case  might  be  an  exception  to  the  general  rule. 

Sun.  10. — After  preaching  at  five,  I  was  hastening  to 
take  my  leave  of  the  congregation  at  Snowsfields,  pur- 


I'tB.  I75I       PREACHING  KNEELING  ll);! 

posing  to  set  out  in  the  morning  for  the  north ;  when, 
on  the  middle  of  London-bridge,  both  my  feet  slipped 
on  the  ice,  and  I  fell  with  great  force,  the  bone  of  my 
ankle  lighting  on  the  top  of  a  stone.  However,  I  got 
on,  with  some  help,  to  the  chapel,  being  resolved  not  to 
disappoint  the  people.  After  preaching,  I  had  my  leg 
bound  up  by  a  surgeon,  and  made  a  shift  to  walk  to  the 
Seven  Dials.  It  was  with  much  difficulty  that  I  got  up 
into  the  pulpit ;  but  God  then  comforted  many  of  our 
hearts. 

I  went  back  in  a  coach  to  Mr.  B  's,  and  from 

thence  in  a  chair  to  the  Foundery ;  but  I  was  not  able 
to  preach,  my  sprain  growing  worse.  I  removed  to 
Threadneedle  Street ;  where  I  spent  the  remainder  of  the 
week,  partly  in  prayer,  reading,  and  conversation,  partly 
in  writing  an  "  Hebrew  Grammar/'  and  "  Lessons  for 
Children." 

Sun.  17. — I  was  carried  to  the  Founder)-,  and 
preached,  kneeling  (as  I  could  not  stand),  on  part  of 
the  twenty-third  Psalm ;  my  heart  being  enlarged,  and 
my  mouth  opened  to  declare  the  wonders  of  God's  love. 

Marriage  and  iPreaching 
Monday,  18,  was  the  second  day  I  had  appointed  for 
my  journey;  but  I  was  disappointed  again,  not  being 
yet  able  to  set  my  foot  to  the  ground.  However,  I 
preached  (kneeling)  on  Tuesday  evening,  and  Wednesday 
morning. 

Sun.  24. — I  preached,  morning  and  evening,  at 
Spitalfields. 

Mon.  Mar.  4. — Being  tolerably  able  to  ride,  though 
not  to  walk,  I  set  out  for  Bristol.  I  came  thither  on 
Wednesday,  thoroughly  tired ;  though,  in  other  respects, 
better  than  when  I  set  out. 


196 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


April  1751 


Tues.  19. — Having  finished  the  business  for  which  I 
came  to  Bristol,  I  set  out  again  for  London;  being 
desired  by  many  to  spend  a  few  days  there  before  I 
entered  upon  n\y  northern  journey.  I  came  to  London 
on  Thursday,  and,  having  settled  all  affairs,  left  it  again 
on  Wednesday,  27.  I  cannot  understand,  how  a 
Methodist  preacher  can  answer  it  to  God,  to  preach 
one  sermon,  or  travel  one  day  less,  in  a  married 
than  in  a  single  state.  In  this  respect  surely,  "  it 
remaineth,  that  they  who  have  wives  be  as  though  they 
had  none." 

Wesley  and  his  Barber 

Thur.  April  11  (Bolton). — The  barber  who  shaved 
me  said,  "  Sir,  I  praise  God  on  your  behalf.  When  you 
was  at  Bolton  last,  I  was  one  of  the  most  eminent 
drunkards  in  all  the  town  ;  but  I  came  to  listen  at  the 
window,  and  God  struck  me  to  the  heart.  I  then 
earnestly  prayed  for  power  against  drinking;  and  God 
gave  me  more  than  I  asked  :  he  took  away  the  very 
desire  of  it.  Yet  I  felt  myself  worse  and  worse,  till,  on 
April  5  last,  I  could  hold  out  no  longer.  I  knew  I  must 
drop  into  hell  that  moment,  unless  God  appeared  to 
save  me  :  and  he  did  appear.  I  knew  he  loved  me;  and 
felt  sweet  peace.  Yet  I  did  not  dare  to  say  I  had  faith, 
till,  yesterday  was  twelvemonth,  God  gave  me  faith ;  and 
his  love  has  ever  since  filled  my  heart." 

Mon.  22. — The  rain  stopped  while  I  was  preaching  at 
the  market-place  in  Morpeth.  We  rode  from  thence  to 
Alnwick,  where  (it  being  too  wet  to  preach  at  the  Cross) 
some  of  our  friends  procured  the  Town  Hall.  This, 
being  very  large,  contained  the  people  well ;  only  the 
number  of  them  made  it  extremely  hot. 

Tues.  23. — We  rode  on  to  Berwick-upon-Tweed. 


April  I75I     WESLEY  IN  SCOTLAND  197 


Wed.  24. — Mr.  Hopper  and  I  took  horse  between 
three  and  four,  and  about  seven  came  to  Old-camus. 
Whether  the  country  was  good  or  bad  we  could  not  see, 
having  a  thick  mist  all  the  way.  The  Scotch  towns  are 
like  none  which  I  ever  saw,  either  in  England,  AVales,  or 
Ireland  :  there  is  such  an  air  of  antiquity  in  them  all, 
and  such  a  peculiar  oddness  in  their  manner  of  building. 
But  we  were  most  surprised  at  the  entertainment  we  met 
with  in  every  place,  so  far  different  from  common  report. 
We  had  all  things  good,  cheap,  in  great  abundance,  and 
remarkably  well-dressed.  In  the  afternoon  we  rode  by 
Preston  Field,  and  saw  the  place  of  battle,  and  Colonel 
Gardiner's  house.  The  Scotch  here  affirm,  that  he 
fought  on  foot  after  he  was  dismounted,  and  refused  to 
take  quarter.  Be  it  as  it  may,  he  is  now  "  where  the 
wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  where  the  weary  are  at 
rest." 

Wesley's  Impressions  of  Scotland 

We  reached  Musselburgh  between  four  and  five.  I 
had  no  intention  to  preach  in  Scotland ;  nor  did  I 
imagine  there  were  any  that  desired  I  should.  But  I 
was  mistaken.  Curiosity  (if  nothing  else)  brought 
abundance  of  people  together  in  the  evening.  And 

whereas  in  the  kirk  (Mrs.  G          informed  me)  Ihere 

used  to  be  laughing  and  talking,  and  all  the  marks  of  the 
grossest  inattention  :  but  it  was  far  otherwise  here :  they 
remained  as  statues  from  the  beginning  of  the  sermon  to 
the  end. 

Thur.  25. — We  rode  to  Edinburgh;  one  of  the 
dirtiest  cities  I  had  ever  seen,  not  excepting  Colen  in 
Germany. 

We  returned  to  Musselburgh  to  dinner,  whither  we 
were  followed  in  the  afternoon  by  a  little  party  of  gentle- 


198  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  1752 

men  from  Edinburgh.  I  know  not  why  any  should 
complain  of  the  shyness  of  the  Scots  toward  strangers. 
All  I  spoke  with  were  as  free  and  open  with  me  as  the 
people  of  Newcastle  or  Bristol ;  nor  did  any  person 
move  any  dispute  of  any  kind,  or  ask  me  any  question 
concerning  my  opinion. 

I  preached  again  at  six,  on,  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord,  while 
He  may  be  found."  I  used  great  plainness  of  speech 
toward  them ;  and  they  all  received  it  in  love :  so  that 
the  prejudice  which  the  devil  had  been  several  years 
planting  was  torn  up  by  the  roots  in  one  hour.  After 
preaching,  one  of  the  bailies  of  the  town,  with  one  of  the 
elders  of  the  kirk,  came  to  me,  and  begged  I  would 
stay  with  them  a  while,  if  it  were  but  two  or  three  days, 
and  they  would  fit  up  a  far  larger  place  than  the  school, 
and  prepare  seats  for  the  congregation.  Had  not  my 
time  been  fixed,  I  should  gladly  have  complied. 

Wesley's  Remarkable  Vitality 
1752.  Sun.  March  15  (London). — AVhile  I  was 
preaching  at  West  Street  in  the  afternoon,  there  was  one 
of  the  most  violent  storms  I  ever  remember.  In  the 
midst  of  the  sermon  great  part  of  an  house  opposite  to 
the  chapel  was  blown  down.  We  heard  an  huge  noise, 
but  knew  not  the  cause  ;  so  much  the  more  did  God 
speak  to  our  hearts  :  and  great  was  the  rejoicing  of  many 
in  confidence  of  his  protection.  Between  four  and  five 
I  took  horse,  with  my  wife  and  daughter.  The  tiles 
were  rattling  from  the  houses  on  both  sides ;  but  they 
hurt  not  us.  We  reached  Hayes  about  seven  in  the 
evening,  and  Oxford  the  next  day. 

Thur.  April  16. — I  walked  over  to  Burnham.  I  had 
no  thought  of  preaching  there,  doubting  if  my  strength 
would  allow  of  preaching  always  thrice  a  day,  as  I  had 


April  1752     A  RICH  MAN'S  DESIRE  199 


done  most  days  since  I  came  from  Evesham.  But 
finding  an  house  full  of  people,  I  could  not  refrain. 
Still  the  more  I  use  my  strength,  the  more  I  have.  I 
am  often  much  tired  the  first  time  I  preach  in  a  day ;  a 
little  the  second  time;  but  after  the  third  or  fourth,  I 
rarely  feel  either  weakness  or  weariness. 

Wed.  2  2. — I  rode  to  Grimsby.  The  crowd  was  so 
great  in  the  evening,  that  the  room  was  like  an  oven. 
The  next  night  I  preached  at  the  end  of  the  town, 
whither  almost  all  the  people,  rich  and  poor,  followed 
me ;  and  I  had  a  fair  opportunity  of  closely  applying  that 
weighty  question,  "  Lord,  are  there  few  that  be  saved  ?  " 

Fri.  24. — We  rode  by  a  fine  seat ;  the  owner  of  which 
(not  much  above  fourscore  years  old)  says  he  desires 
only  to  live  thirty  years  longer ;  ten  to  hunt,  ten  to  get 
money  (having  at  present  but  twenty  thousand  pounds 
a  year),  and  ten  years  to  repent  O  that  God  may  not 
say  unto  him,  "  Thou  fool,  this  night  shall  thy  soul  be 
required  of  thee  !  " 

When  I  landed  at  the  quay  in  Hull,  it  was  covered 
with  people,  inquiring,  "Which  is  he?  Which  is  he?" 
But  they  only  stared  and  laughed ;  and  we  walked  un- 
molested to  Mr.  A  's  house. 

I  was  quite  surprised  at  the  miserable  condition  of 
the  fortifications  ;  far  more  ruinous  and  decayed  than 
those  at  Newcastle,  even  before  the  rebellion.  It  is  well 
there  is  no  enemy  near. 

A  Crowded  Coacli 
I  went  to  prayers  at  three  in  the  old  church — a  grand 
and  venerable  structure.  Between  five  and  six  the  coach 
called,  and  took  me  to  Mighton  Car,  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  town.  An  huge  multitude,  rich  and  poor, 
horse  and  foot,  with  several  coaches,  were  soon  gathered 


200  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1752 

together;  to  whom  I  cried  with  a  loud  voice  and  a 
composed  spirit,  "  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall 
gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  "  Some 
thousands  of  t^he  people  seriously  attended ;  but  many 
behaved  as  if  possessed  by  Moloch.  Clods  and  stones 
flew  about  on  every  side ;  but  they  neither  touched  nor 
disturbed  me. 

When  I  had  finished  my  discourse,  I  went  to  take 
coach  ;  but  the  coachman  had  driven  clear  away.  We 
were  at  a  loss,  till  a  gentlewoman  invited  my  wife  and 
me  to  come  into  her  coach.  She  brought  some  incon- 
veniences on  herself  thereby;  not  only  as  there  were 
nine  of  us  in  the  coach,  three  on  each  side,  and  three  in 
the  middle ;  but  also  as  the  mob  closely  attended  us, 
throwing  in  at  the  windows  (which  we  did  not  think  it 
prudent  to  shut)  whatever  came  next  to  hand.  But  a 
large  gentlewoman  who  sat  in  my  lap,  screened  me,  so 
that  nothing  came  near  me. 

Wesley  Sleeps  in  a  Cellar 
Mon.  May  25. — We  rode  to  Durham,  and  thence, 
through  very  rough  roads,  and  as  rough  weather,  to 
Barnard  Castle.  I  was  exceeding  faint  when  we  came 
in :  however,  the  time  being  come,  I  went  into  the 
street,  and  would  have  preached ;  but  the  mob  was  so 
numerous  and  so  loud,  that  it  was  not  possible  for  many 
to  hear.  Nevertheless,  I  spoke  on,  and  those  who  were 
near  listened  with  huge  attention.  To  prevent  this, 
some  of  the  rabble  fetched  the  engine,  and  threw  a  good 
deal  of  water  on  the  congregation  ;  but  not  a  drop  fell 
on  me.  After  about  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  I 
returned  into  the  house. 

Tues.  June  9. — My  lodging  was  not  such  as  I  should 
have  chosen ;  but  what  Providence  chooses  is  always 


June  1752     TROUBLE  WITH  HORSES  201 

good.  My  bed  was  considerably  under  ground,  the 
room  serving  both  for  a  bed-chamber  and  a  cellar.  The 
closeness  was  more  troublesome  at  first  than  the  cool- 
ness :  but  I  let  in  a  little  fresh  air,  by  breaking  a  pane 
of  paper  (put  by  way  of  glass)  in  the  window  ;  and  then 
slept  sound  till  the  morning. 

Mon.  15. — I  had  many  little  trials  in  this  journey,  of 
a  kind  I  had  not  known  before.  I  had  borrowed  a 
young,  strong  mare,  when  I  set  out  from  Manchester. 
But  she  fell  lame  before  I  got  to  Grimsby.  I  procured 
another,  but  was  dismounted  again  between  Newcastle 
and  Berwick.  At  my  return  to  Manchester,  I  took  my 
own  :  but  she  had  lamed  herself  in  the  pasture.  I 
thought,  nevertheless,  to  ride  her  four  or  five  miles 
to-day ;  but  she  was  gone  out  of  the  ground,  and  we 
could  hear  nothing  of  her.  However,  I  comforted 
myself,  that  I  had  another  at  Manchester,  which  I 
had  lately  bought.  But  when  I  came  thither,  I  found 
one  had  borrowed  her  too,  and  rode  her  away  to 
Chester. 

Sat.  20. — I  rode  to  Chester,  and  preached  at  six,  in 
the  accustomed  place,  a  little  without  the  gates,  near 
St.  John's  church.  One  single  man,  a  poor  alehouse- 
keeper,  seemed  disgusted,  spoke  a  harmless  word,  and 
ran  away  with  all  speed.  All  the  rest  behaved  with  the 
utmost  seriousness,  while  I  declared  "  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

Round  Chester  "Walls 
Mon.  22. — We  walked  round  the  walls  of  the  city, 
which  are  something  more  than  a  mile  and  three  quarters 
in  circumference.  But  there  are  many  vacant  spaces 
within  the  walls,  many  gardens,  and  a  good  deal  o 
pasture-ground  :  so  that  I  believe  Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 


202 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1752 


within  the  walls,  contains  at  least  a  third  more  houses 
than  Chester. 

The  greatest  convenience  here  is  what  they  call  "  the 
Rows  "  ;  that  is,  covered  galleries,  which  run  through 
the  main  streets  on  each  side,  from  east  to  west,  and 
from  north  to  south ;  by  which  means  one  may  walk 
both  clean  and  dry  in  any  weather,  from  one  end  of  the 
city  to  the  other. 

I  preached,  at  six  in  the  evening,  in  the  square,  to  a 
vast  multitude,  rich  and  poor.  The  far  greater  part,  the 
gentry  in  particular,  were  seriously  and  deeply  attentive ; 
though  a  few  of  the  rabble,  most  of  them  drunk,  laboured 
much  to  make  a  disturbance.  One  might  already  per- 
ceive a  great  increase  of  earnestness  in  the  generality  of 
the  hearers. 

Tues.  Aug.  25. — I  preached  in  the  market-place  at 
Kinsale.  The  next  morning,  at  eight,  I  walked  to  the 
fort.  On  the  hill  above  it  we  found  a  large,  deep 
hollow,  capable  of  containing  two  or  three  thousand 
people.  On  one  side  of  this,  the  soldiers  soon  cut  a 
place  with  their  swords  for  me  to  stand,  where  I 
was  screened  both  from  the  wind  and  sun,  while  the 
congregation  sat  on  the  grass  before  me.  Many 
eminent  sinners  were  present,  particularly  of  the 
army  ;  and  I  believe  God  gave  them  a  loud  call  to 
repentance. 

Sat.  Sept.  23. — We  reached  Cork.  Sunday,  24.  In 
the  evening  I  proposed  to  the  society  the  building  a 
preaching-house.  The  next  day  ten  persons  subscribed 
an  hundred  pounds  ;  another  hundred  was  subscribed  in 
three  or  four  days,  and  a  piece  of  ground  taken.  I  saw 
a  double  providence  now  in  our  not  sailing  last  week. 
If  we  had,  probably  this  house  had  never  been  built ;  and 
it  is  most  likely  we  should  have  been  cast  away.  Above 


Oct.  1752  PREACHING  BY  MOONLIGHT  203 

thirty  ships,  we  were  informed,  have  been  lost  on  these 
coasts  in  the  late  storm. 

The  wind  being  contrary  still,  on  Monday,  Oct.  2,  I 
rode  once  more  to  Bandon.  But  though  I  came  un- 
expected, the  house  was  too  small  to  contain  one  half  of 
the  congregation ;  so  I  preached  in  the  street,  both  this 
evening,  and  at  five  on  Tuesday  morning  ;  the  moon 
giving  us  as  much  light  as  we  wanted,  till  the  sun  sup- 
plied her  place.  I  then  returned  to  Cork.  On  Friday,  6, 
the  ship  being  under  sail,  we  took  boat,  and  came  to 
Cove  in  the  evening.  All  the  inns  being  full,  we  lodged 
at  a  private  house ;  but  we  found  one  inconvenience 
herein  :  we  had  nothing  to  eat ;  for  our  provisions  were 
on  board,  and  there  was  nothing  to  be  bought  in  the 
town  ;  neither  flesh,  nor  fish,  nor  butter,  nor  cheese.  At 
length  we  procured  some  eggs  and  bread,  and  were  well 
contented. 

A  Boiling  Sea 

Sun.  8. — We  were  called  early  by  the  pilot,  and  told 
we  must  rise  and  go  on  board.  We  did  so,  and  found 
a  large  number  of  passengers :  but  the  wind  turning, 
most  of  them  went  on  shore.  At  eleven  I  preached  to 
those  that  were  left.  About  six  it  blew  a  storm  :  but 
we  were  anchored  in  a  safe  harbour ;  so  it  neither  hurt 
nor  disturbed  us. 

Mon.  9. — Finding  there  was  no  probability  of  sailing 

soon,  we  went  up  to  Mr.  P  's,  near  Passage.  I 

preached  there  in  the  street  about  four,  to  most  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town.  They  behaved  very  quietly; 
but  very  few  seemed  either  convinced  or  affected. 

Tues.  10. — We  had  another  violent  storm  :  it  made 

Mr.  P  's  house  rock  to  and  fro,  though  it  was  a  new, 

Strong  house,  and  covered  on  all  sides  with  hills,  as  well 


204  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1752 

as  with  trees.  We  afterwards  heard,  that  several  ships 
were  lost  on  the  coast.  Only  one  got  into  the  harbour, 
but  grievously  shattered,  her  rigging  torn  in  pieces,  and 
her  main-mast  ^one  by  the  board. 

Wed.  II. — I  rode  to  Cork  once  more,  and  was  very 
fully  employed  all  the  day.  The  next  morning  we 
returned  to  Cove,  and  about  noon  got  out  of  the 
'larbour.  We  immediately  found  the  effects  of  the  late 
storm,  the  sea  still  boiling  like  a  pot.  The  moon  set 
about  eight,  but  the  Northern  Lights  abundantly  sup- 
plied her  place.  Soon  after,  God  smoothed  the  face  of 
the  deep,  and  gave  us  a  small,  fair  wind. 

Fri.  13. — I  read  over  Pascal's  "Thoughts."  What 
could  possibly  induce  such  a  creature  as  Voltaire  to  give 
such  an  author  as  this  a  good  word  ;  unless  it  was,  that 
he  once  wrote  a  satire  ?  And  so  his  being  a  satirist 
might  atone  even  for  his  being  a  Christian. 

Sat.  14. — About  seven  we  sailed  into  Kingroad,  and 
happily  concluded  our  httle  voyage.  I  now  rested  a 
week  at  Bristol  and  Kingswood,  preaching  only  morning 
and  evening. 

Wesley's  Forgiveness 

Sunday,  29,  was  an  useful  day  to  my  soul.  I  found 
more  than  once  trouble  and  heaviness ;  but  I  called 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  and  he  gave  me  a  clear, 
full  approbation  of  his  way,  and  a  calm,  thankful 
acquiescence  in  his  will. 

I  cannot  but  stand  amazed  at  the  goodness  of  God. 
Others  are  most  assaulted  on  the  weak  side  of  their 
soul ;  but  with  me  it  is  quite  otherwise ;  if  I  have  any 
strength  at  all  (and  I  have  none  but  what  I  have 
received),  it  is  in  forgiving  injuries;  and  on  this  very 
side  am  I  assaulted,  more  frequently  than  on  any  other. 


Feb.  1753    WESLEY  AND  ELECTRICITY  205 

Yet  leave  me  not  here  one  hour  to  myself,  or  I  shall 
betray  myself  and  Thee ! 

In  the  remaining  part  of  this  (November),  and  in  the 
following  month,  I  prepared  the  rest  of  the  books  for 
the  "  Christian  Library  "  ;  a  work  by  which  I  have  lost 
about  two  hundred  pounds.  Perhaps  the  next  genera- 
tion may  know  the  value  of  it. 

1753.  Sat.  Jan.  20. — I  advised  one  who  had  been 
troubled  many  years  with  a  stubborn  paralytic  disorder,  to 
try  a  new  remedy.  Accordingly,  she  was  electrified,  and 
found  immediate  help.  By  the  same  means  I  have 
known  two  persons  cured  of  an  inveterate  pain  in  the 
stomach ;  and  another  of  a  pain  in  his  side,  which  he 
had  had  ever  since  he  was  a  child.  Nevertheless,  who 
can  wonder  that  many  gentlemen  of  the  faculty,  as  well 
as  their  good  friends,  the  apothecaries,  decry  a  medicine 
so  shockingly  cheap  and  easy,  as  much  as  they  do  quick- 
silver and  tar- water  ? 

Sat.  Feb.  3. — I  visited  one  in  the  Marshalsea  prison ; 
a  nursery  of  all  manner  of  wickedness.  O  shame 
to  man,  that  there  should  be  such  a  place,  such  a 
picture  of  hell,  upon  earth  !  And  shame  to  those  who 
bear  the  name  of  Christ,  that  there  should  need  any 
prison  at  all  in  Christendom  ! 

Thur.  8. — A  proposal  was  made  for  devolving  all 
temporal  business,  books  and  all,  entirely  on  the 
Stewards  ;  so  that  I  might  have  no  care  upon  me  (in 
London  at  least)  but  that  of  the  souls  committed  to  my 
charge.    O  when  shall  it  once  be  !    From  this  day  ? 

In  the  afternoon  I  visited  many  of  the  sick  ;  but  such 
scenes,  who  could  see  unmoved  ?  There  are  none  such 
to  be  found  in  a  pagan  country.  If  any  of  the  Indians 
in  Georgia  were  sick  (which  indeed  exceeding  rarely 
happened,  till  they  learned  gluttony  and  drunkenness 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        April  1753 


from  the  Christians),  those  that  were  near  him  gave  him 
whatever  he  wanted.  O  who  will  convert  the  English 
into  honest  Heathens  ! 

On  Friday  aijd  Saturday  I  visited  as  many  more  as  I 
could.  I  found  some  in  their  cells  under  ground ; 
others  in  their  garrets,  half  starved  both  with  cold  and 
hunger,  added  to  weakness  and  pain.  But  I  found  not 
one  of  them  unemployed,  who  was  able  to  crawl  about 
the  room.  So  wickedly,  devilishly  false  is  that  common 
objection,  "  They  are  poor,  only  because  they  are  idle." 
If  you  saw  these  things  with  your  own  eyes,  could  you 
lay  out  money  in  ornaments  or  superfluities  ? 

Thur.   15. — I  visited  Mr.  S  ,  slowly  recovering 

from  a  severe  illness.  He  expressed  much  love,  and 
tlid  not  doubt,  he  said,  inasmuch  as  I  meant  well,  but 
that  God  would  convince  me  of  my  great  sin  in  writing 
boolc^  ;  seeing  men  ought  to  read  no  book  but  the  Bible. 
I  juflged  it  quite  needless  to  enter  into  a  dispute  with  a 
sea  captain,  seventy-five  years  old. 

Fri.  March  16. — I  returned  to  Bristol ;  and  on  Mon- 
day, 19,  set  out  with  my  wife  for  the  north. 

Sat.  31. — I  preached  at  Boothbank,  where  I  met  Mr. 

C  ,  late  gardener  to  the  Earl  of  W  .    Surely  it 

cannot  be  !  Is  it  possible  the  earl  should  turn  off  an 
honest,  diligent,  well-tried  servant,  who  had  been  in  the 
family  above  fifty  years,  for  no  other  fault  than  hearing 
the  Methodists  ? 

Sun.  April  15. — I  preached  in  the  afternoon  at 
Cockermouth,  to  well  nigh  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town.  Intending  to  go  from  thence  into  Scotland,  I 
inquired  concerning  the  road,  and  was  informed,  I  could 
not  pass  the  arm  of  the  sea  which  parts  the  two  king- 
doms, unless  I  was  at  Bonas,  about  thirty  miles  from 
Cockermouth,  soon  after  five  in  the  morning.    At  first 


April  1753       CLEAN  SCOTCH  INNS 


207 


I  thought  of  taking  an  hour  or  two's  sleep,  and  setting 
out  at  eleven  or  twelve.  But,  upon  farther  consider  a 
tion,  we  chose  to  take  our  journey  first,  and  rest  after- 
ward. So  we  took  horse  about  seven,  and  having  a 
calm,  moonshiny  night,  reached  Bonas  before  one. 
After  two  or  three  hours'  sleep,  we  set  out  again,  with- 
out any  faintness  or  drowsiness. 

The  Pay  of  Pfeachmg 
Our  landlord,  as  he  was  guiding  us  over  the  Frith, 
very  innocently  asked,  how  much  a  year  we  got  by 
preaching  thus.  This  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  ex- 
plaining to  him  that  kind  of  gain  which  he  seemed 
utterly  a  stranger  to.  He  appeared  to  be  quite  amazed, 
and  spake  not  one  word,  good  or  bad,  till  he  took  his 
leave. 

Presently  after  he  went,  my  mare  stuck  fast  in  a 
quagmire,  which  was  in  the  midst  of  the  high  road. 
But  we  could  well  excuse  this ;  for  the  road  all  along, 
for  near  fifty  miles  after,  was  such  as  I  never  saw  any 
natural  road,  either  in  England  or  Ireland ;  nay,  far 
better,  notwithstanding  the  continued  rain,  than  the 
turnpike  road  between  London  and  Canterbury. 

We  dined  at  Dumfries,  a  clean,  well-built  town, 
having  two  of  the  most  elegant  churches  (one  at  each 
end  of  the  town)  that  I  have  seen.  We  reached 
Thorny  Hill  in  the  evening.  What  miserable  accounts 
pass  current  in  England  of  the  inns  in  Scotland !  Yet 
here,  as  well  as  wherever  we  called  in  our  whole  journey, 
we  had  not  only  everything  we  wanted,  but  every- 
thing readily  and  in  good  order,  and  as  clean  as  I  ever 
desire. 

Tues.  17. — We  set  out  about  four,  and  rode  over 
several  high,  but  extremely   pleasant,  mountains,  to 


208  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  APRIL1753 

Lead  Hill ;  a  village  of  miners,  resembling  Placey,  near 
Newcastle.  We  dined  at  a  village  called  Lesmahaggy, 
and  about  eight  in  the  evening  reached  Glasgow.  A 
gentleman  who  had  overtaken  us  on  the  road  sent  one 
with  us  to  Mr.'Gillies's  house. 

Wesley  in  Glasgow 

Wed.  18. — I  walked  over  the  city,  which  I  take  to  be 
as  large  as  Newcastle-upon-Tyne.  The  University  (like 
that  of  Dublin)  is  only  one  College,  consisting  of  two 
small  squares  ;  I  think  not  larger,  nor  at  all  handsomer, 
than  those  of  Lincoln  College,  in  Oxford.  The  habit  of 
the  students  gave  me  surprise.  They  wear  scarlet 
gowns,  reaching  only  to  their  knees.  Most  I  saw  were 
very  dirty,  some  very  ragged,  and  all  of  very  coarse 
cloth.  The  high  church  is  a  fine  building.  The 
outside  is  equal  to  that  of  most  cathedrals  in  England; 
but  it  is  miserably  defaced  within ;  having  no  form, 
beauty,  or  symmetry  left. 

At  seven  in  the  evening  Mr.  G.  began  the  service,  at  his 
own  (the  College)  church.  It  was  so  full  before  I  came, 
that  I  could  not  get  in  without  a  good  deal  of  difficulty. 

Thur.  19. — At  seven  I  preached  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  from  the  town  ;  but  it  was  an  extremely  rough 
and  blustering  morning ;  and  few  people  came  either  at 
the  time  or  place  of  my  preaching  :  the  natural  conse- 
quence of  which  was,  that  I  had  but  a  small  congrega- 
tion. About  four  in  the  afternoon,  a  tent,  as  they  term 
it,  was  prepared  ;  a  kind  of  moving  pulpit,  covered  with 
canvass  at  the  top,  behind,  and  on  the  sides.  In  this 
I  preached  near  the  place  where  I  was  in  the  morning, 
to  near  six  times  as  many  people  as  before ;  and  I  am 
persuaded  what  was  spoken  came  to  some  of  their 
hearts,  "  not  in  word  only,  but  in  power." 


May  1753      AT  RORINHOOD'S  BAY 


209 


Fri.  20. — I  had  designed  to  preach  at  the  same 
place  ;  but  the  rain  made  it  impracticable.  So  Mr.  G. 
desired  me  to  preach  in  his  church  ;  so  I  began  between 
seven  and  eight.  Surely  with  God  nothing  is  impos- 
sible !  Who  would  have  believed,  five-and-twenty  years 
ago,  either  that  the  minister  would  have  desired  it,  or 
that  I  should  have  consented  to  preach  in  a  Scotch 
kirk  ? 

Apprenticeship  Customs 

Wed.  25. — We  came  to  Alnwick  on  the  day  whereon 
those  who  have  gone  through  their  apprenticeship  are 
made  free  of  the  corporation.  Sixteen  or  seventeen,  we 
were  informed,  were  to  receive  their  freedom  this  day, 
and,  in  order  thereto  (such  is  the  unparalleled  wisdom 
of  the  present  corporation,  as  well  as  of  their  forefathers), 
to  walk  through  a  great  bog  (purposely  preserved  for 
the  occasion ;  otherwise  it  might  have  been  drained  long 
ago),  which  takes  up  some  of  them  to  the  neck,  and 
many  of  them  to  the  breast. 

Tues.  May  8. — I  rode  [from  Stockton]  to  Robinhood's 
Bay,  near  Whitby.  The  town  is  very  remarkably 
situated :  it  stands  close  to  the  sea,  and  is  in  great  part 
built  on  craggy  and  steep  rocks,  some  of  which  rise 
perpendicular  from  the  water.  And  yet  the  land,  both 
on  the  north,  south,  and  west,  is  fruitful  and  well  culti- 
vated. I  stood  on  a  little  rising  near  the  quay,  in  a 
warm,  still  evening,  and  exhorted  a  multitude  of  people, 
from  all  parts,  to  "  seek  the  Lord,  while  he  may  be 
found."  They  were  all  attention  ;  and  most  of  them 
met  me  again  at  half  an  hour  after  four  in  the  morning. 
I  could  gladly  have  spent  some  days  here;  but  my 
stages  were  fixed  :  so,  on  Wednesday,  9,  I  rode  on  to 
•York. 

o 


210  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        July  1753 

Sun.  July  8  (London). — After  preaching  at  the  chapel, 

morning  and  afternoon,  I  took  horse  with  Mr.  P  . 

We  had  designed  to  ride  only  two  or  three  hours,  in 
order  to  shorten  the  next  day's  journey.  But  a  young 
man,  who  overtook  us  near  Kingston,  induced  us  to 
change  our  purpose.  So  we  only  rested  about  half  an 
hour  at  Cobham  j  and  leaving  it  between  nine  and  ten, 
rode  on  softly  in  a  calm,  moonshiny  night,  and  about 
twelve  came  to  Godalming.  We  took  horse  again  at 
half  an  hour  past  four,  and  reached  Portsmouth  about 
one. 

After  a  little  rest,  we  took  a  walk  round  the  town, 
which  is  regularly  fortified ;  and  is,  I  suppose,  the  only 
regular  fortification  in  Great  Britain  or  Ireland.  Gos- 
port,  Portsmouth,  and  the  Common  (which  is  now  all 
turned  into  streets),  may  probably  contain  half  as  many 
people  as  Bristol :  and  so  civil  a  people  I  never  saw 
before  in  any  sea-port  town  in  England. 

I  preached  at  half  an  hour  after  six,  in  an  open  part 
of  the  Common,  adjoining  to  the  new  church.  The 
congregation  was  large  and  well-behaved  j  not  one 
scoffer  did  I  see,  nor  one  trifler.  In  the  morning, 
Tuesday,  10,  I  went  on  board  an  hoy;  and  in  three 
hours  landed  at  Cowes,  in  the  Isle  of  Wight ;  as  far 
exceeding  the  Isle  of  Anglesey,  both  in  pleasantness  and 
fruitfulness,  as  that  exceeds  the  rocks  of  Scilly. 

We  rode  straight  to  Newport,  the  chief  town  in  the 
isle,  and  found  a  little  society  in  tolerable  order.  Several 
of  them  had  found  peace  with  God. 

At  half  an  hour  after  six  I  preached  in  the  market- 
place, to  a  numerous  congregation  :  but  they  were  not 
so  serious  as  those  at  Portsmouth.  Many  children 
made  much  noise,  and  many  grown  persons  were  talk- 
ing aloud,  almost  all  the  time  I  was  preaching.    It  was 


Nov.  1753    VISITS  CARISBROOK  CASTLE  211 


quite  otherwise  at  five  in  the  morning.  There  was  a 
large  congregation  again;  and  every  person  therein 
seemed  to  know  this  was  the  word  whereby  God  would 
judge  them  in  the  last  day. 

In  the  afternoon,  I  walked  to  Carisbrook  castle ;  or 
rather,  the  poor  remains  of  it.  It  stands  upon  a  solid 
rock  on  the  top  of  an  hill,  and  commands  a  beautiful 
prospect.  There  is  a  well  in  it,  cut  quite  through  the 
rock,  said  to  be  seventy-two  yards  deep ;  and  another 
in  the  citadel,  near  an  hundred.  They  drew  up  the 
water  by  an  ass,  which  they  assured  us  was  sixty  years 
old.  But  all  the  stately  apartments  lie  in  ruins.  Only 
just  enough  of  them  is  left,  to  show  the  chamber  where 
poor  King  Charles  was  confined,  and  the  window  through 
which  he  attempted  to  escape. 

Cornish  Smugglers 

On  Wednesday,  25,  the  Stewards  met  at  St.  Ives, 
from  the  western  part  of  Cornwall.  The  next  day  I 
began  examining  the  society ;  but  I  was  soon  obliged  to 
stop  short.  I  found  an  accursed  thing  among  them  ; 
well-nigh  one  and  all  bought  or  sold  uncustomed  goods. 
I  therefore  delayed  speaking  to  any  more  till  I  had  met 
them  all  together.  This  I  did  in  the  evening,  and  told 
them  plain,  either  they  must  put  this  abomination  away, 
or  they  would  see  my  face  no  more.  Friday,  27. 
They  severally  promised  so  to  do.  So  I  trust  this 
plague  is  stayed. 

Mon.  Nov.  12. — I  set  out  in  a  chaise  for  Leigh, 
having  delayed  my  journey  as  long  as  I  could.  I 
preached  at  seven,  but  was  extremely  cold  all  the  time, 
the  wind  coming  strong  from  a  door  behind,  and  another 
on  one  side ;  so  that  my  feet  felt  just  as  if  I  had  stood 
in  cold  water. 


212  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Nov.  1753 

Tues.  13. — The  chamber  wherein  I  sat,  though  with 
a  large  fire,  was  much  colder  than  the  garden ;  so  that 
I  could  not  keep  myself  tolerably  warm,  even  when  I 
was  close  to  the  chimney.  As  we  rode  home  on  Wed- 
nesday, 14,  the  wind  was  high  and  piercing  cold,  and 
blew  just  in  our  face,  so  that  the  open  chaise  was  no 
defence,  but  my  feet  were  quite  chilled.  When  I  came 
home,  I  had  a  settled  pain  in  my  left  breast,  a  violent 
cough,  and  a  slow  fever  ;  but  in  a  day  or  two,  by  follow- 
ing Dr.  Fothergill's  prescriptions,  I  found  much  altera- 
tion for  the  better;  and  on  Sunday,  18,  I  preached  at 
Spitalfields,  and  administered  the  sacrament  to  a  large 
congregation. 

"Wesley  Writes  his  Epitaph 
Men.  19. — I  retired  to  Shoreham,  and  gained  strength 
continually;  till  about  eleven  at  night,  on  Wednes- 
day, 21,  I  was  ol)liged  by  the  cramp  to  leap  out  of  bed, 
and  continue,  for  some  time,  walking  up  and  down  the 
room,  though  it  was  a  sharp  frost.  My  cough  now 
returned  with  greater  violence,  and  that  by  day  as  well 
as  by  night. 

Sat.  24. — I  rode  home,  and  was  pretty  well  till  night; 
but  my  cough  was  then  worse  than  ever.  My  fever 
returned  at  the  same  time,  together  with  the  pain  in  my 
left  breast ;  so  that  I  should  probably  have  stayed  at 
home  on  Sunday,  25,  had  it  not  been  advertised  in  the 
public  papers,  that  I  would  preach  a  charity  sermon  at 
the  chapel,  both  morning  and  afternoon.  My  cough 
did  not  interrupt  me  while  I  preached  in  the  morning ; 
but  it  was  extremely  troublesome  while  I  administered 
the  sacrament.  In  the  afternoon  I  consulted  my 
friends,  whether  I  should  attempt  to  preach  again  or  no. 
They  thought  I  should,  as  it  had  been  advertised.  I 


Nov.  1753    WESLEY'S  OWN  EPITAPH 


213 


did  so ;  but  very  few  could  hear.  My  fever  increased 
much  while  I  was  preaching :  however,  I  ventured  to 
meet  the  society ;  and  for  near  an  hour  my  voice 
and  strength  were  restored,  so  that  I  felt  neither  pain 
nor  weakness. 

Mon.  26. — Dr.  F.  told  me  plain,  I  must  not 

stay  in  town  a  day  longer ;  adding,  "  If  anything  does 
thee  good,  it  must  be  the  country  air,  with  rest,  asses' 
milk,  and  riding  daily."  So  (not  being  able  to  sit  an 
horse)  about  noon  I  took  coach  for  Lewisham. 

In  the  evening  (not  knowing  how  it  might  please 
God  to  dispose  of  me),  to  prevent  vile  panegyric,  I  wrote 
as  follows: 

f^ttt  littf)  t(e  iSoIts 

OF 

JOHN  WESLEY, 

A  BRAND  PLUCKED  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING: 
WHO  DIED  OF  A  CONSUMPTION  IN  THE  FIFTY-FIRST  YEAR 
OF  HIS  AGE, 
NOT  LEAVING,  AFTER  HIS  DEBTS  ARE  PAID, 
TEN  POUNDS  BEHIND  HIM: 
PRAYING, 

GOD  BE  MERCIFUL  TO  ME,  AN  UNPROFITABLE  SERVANT  I 

He  ordered  that  this,  if  any,  inscription  should  be  placed  on  his 
tombstone. 

Wesley  his  own  Doctor 
Wed.  28. — I  found  no  change  for  the  better,  the 
medicines  which  had  helped  me  bsfore,  now  taking  no 
effect.  About  noon  (the  time  that  some  of  our  brethren 
in  London  had  set  apart  for  joining  in  prayer)  a  thought 
came  into  my  mind  to  make  an  experiment.  So  I 
ordered  some  stone  brimstone  to  be  powdered,  mixed 
with  the  white  of  an  egg,  and  spread  on  brown  paper, 
which  I  applied  to  my  side.    The  pain  ceased  in  five 


214  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  1754 

minutes,  the  fever  in  half  an  hour ;  and  from  this 
hour  I  began  to  recover  strength.  The  next  day  I  was 
able  to  ride,  which  I  continued  to  do  every  day  till 
January  i.  Nor, did  the  weather  hinder  me  once;  it 
being  always  tolerably  fair  (however  it  was  before) 
between  twelve  and  one  o'clock. 

Fri.  Dec.  14. — Having  finished  all  the  books 
which  I  designed  to  insert  in  the  "  Christian  Library," 
I  broke  through  the  doctor's  order,  not  to  write,  and 
began  transcribing  a  journal  for  the  press ;  and  in  the 
evening  I  went  to  prayers  with  the  family,  without  find- 
ing any  inconvenience. 

Thur.  20. — I  felt  a  gradual  increase  of  strength,  till  I 
took  a  decoction  of  the  bark,  which  I  do  not  find  (such 
is  the  pecularity  of  my  constitution)  will  agree  with  me 
in  any  form  whatever.  This  immediately  threw  me  into 
a  purging,  which  brought  me  down  again  a  few  days, 
and  quite  disappointed  me  in  my  design  of  going  out  on 
Christmas  Day. 

1754.  Tues.  Jan.  i. — I  returned  once  more  to 
London. 

On  Wednesday,  2,  I  set  out  in  the  machine  and  the 
next  afternoon  came  to  Chippenham.  Here  I  took  a 
post-chaise,  in  which  I  reached  Bristol  about  eight  in  the 
evening. 

Fri,  4. — I  began  drinking  the  water  at  the  Hot  Well, 
having  a  lodging  at  a  small  distance  from  it;  and  on 
Sunday,  6,  I  began  writing  Notes  on  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  a  work  which  I  should  scarce  ever  have 
attempted,  had  I  not  been  so  ill  as  not  to  be  able  to 
travel  or  preach,  and  yet  so  well  as  to  be  able  to  read 
and  write. 

Mon.  7. — I  went  on  now  in  a  regular  method,  rising 
at  my  hour,  and  writing  from  five  to  nine  at  night ; 


April  1754  PREACHES  AT  SADLER'S  WELLS  215 

except  the  time  of  riding,  half  an  hour  for  each  meal, 
and  the  hour  between  five  and  six  in  the  evening. 

Thur.  31. — My  wife  desiring  to  pay  the  last  oflSce  to 
her  poor  dying  child,  set  out  for  London,  and  came  a 
few  days  before  he  went  home,  rejoicing  and  praising 
God. 

Tues.  March  19  (Bristol). — Having  finished  the 
rough  draught,  I  began  transcribing  the  Notes  on  the 
Gospels. 

Tues.  26. — I  preached  for  the  first  time,  after  an 
intermission  of  four  months.  What  reason  have  I  to 
praise  God,  that  he  docs  not  take  the  word  of  his  truth 
utterly  out  of  my  mouth  ! 

Wesley  Retires  to  Paddington 
Men.  April  i. — We  set  out  in  the  machine,  and  the 
next  evening  reached  the  Foundery. 

Wed.  3. — I  settled  all  the  business  I  could,  and  the 
next  morning  retired  to  Paddington.  Hcie  I  spent 
some  weeks  in  writing  ;  only  going  to  town  on  Saturday 
evenings,  and  leaving  it  again  on  Monday  morning. 

In  my  hours  of  walking  I  read  Dr.  Calamy's  "Abridg-'' 
ment  of  Mr.  Baxter's  Life."    What  a  scene  is  opened 
here !    In  spite  of  all  the  prejudice  of  education,  I  couldi  1 
not  but  see  that  the  poor  Nonconformists  had  been  used 
without  either  justice  or  mercy ;  and  that  many  of  the  ^ 
Protestant  Bishops  of  King  Charles  had  neither  more 
religion,  nor  humanity,  than   the  Popish  Bishops  ol 
Queen  Mary. 

Mon.  29. — I  preached  at  Sadler's  Wells,  in  what  was 
formerly  a  play-house.  I  am  glad  when  it  pleases  God 
to  take  possession  of  what  Satan  esteemed  his  own 
ground.  The  place,  though  large,  was  extremely 
crowded ;  and  deep  attention  sat  on  every  face. 


216  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Oct.  1754 

Wed.  May  22. — Our  Conference  began;  and  the 
spirit  of  peace  and  love  was  in  the  midst  of  us.  Before 
we  parted,  we  all  willingly  signed  an  agreement,  not  to 
act  independently  on  each  other  :  so  that  the  breach 
lately  made  has  only  united  us  more  closely  together 
than  ever. 

June  2. — (Being  Whit  Sunday.)  I  preached  at  the 
Foundery  ;  which  I  had  not  done  before  in  the  evening ; 
still  I  have  not  recovered  my  whole  voice  or  strength ; 
perhaps  I  never  may :  but  let  me  use  what  I  have. 

Persecuting  the  Methodists 
Mon.  Sept.  9. — I  preached  at  Charlton,  a  village  six 
miles  from  Taunton,  to  a  large  congregation  gathered 
from  the  towns  and  country  for  many  miles  round.  All 
the  farmers  here  had  some  time  before  entered  into  a 
joint  engagement  to  turn  all  out  of  their  service,  and 
give  no  work  to  any,  who  went  to  hear  a  Methodist 
preacher.     But  there  is  no  counsel  against  the  Lord. 

One  of  the  chief  of  them,  Mr.  G  ,  was  not  long  after 

convinced  of  the  truth,  and  desired  those  very  men  to 
preach  at  his  house.  Many  of  the  other  confederates 
came  to  hear,  whom  their  servants  and  labourers  gladly 
ft)llowed.  So  the  whole  device  of  Satan  fell  to  the 
ground  ;  and  the  word  of  God  grew  and  prevailed. 

Wed.  October  2. — I  walked  to  Old  Sarum,  which,  in 
spite  of  common  sense,  without  house  or  inhabitants, 
still  sends  two  Members  to  the  Parliament.  It  is  a  large, 
round  hill,  encompassed  with  a  broad  ditch,  which,  it 
seems,  has  been  of  a  considerable  depth.  At  the  top  of 
it  is  a  cornfield  ;  in  the  midst  of  which  is  another  round 
hill,  about  two  hundred  yards  in  diameter,  encompassed 
with  a  wall,  and  a  deep  ditch.  Probably  before  the  in- 
vention of  cannon,  this  city  was  impregnable.  Troy 


April  1755  WESLEY  PRESCRIBES  NETTLES  217 

was  ;  but  now  it  is  vanished  away,  and  nothing  left  but 
"  the  stones  of  emptiness." 

Thur.  3. — I  rode  to  Reading,  and  preached  in  the 
evening.  Observing  a  warm  man  near  the  door  (which 
was  once  of  the  society),  I  purposely  bowed  to  him ;  but 
he  made  no  return.  During  the  first  prayer  he  stood, 
but  sat  while  we  sung.  In  the  sermon  his  countenance 
changed,  and  in  a  little  while  he  turned  his  face  to  the 
wall.  He  stood  at  the  second  hymn,  and  then  kneeled 
down.  As  I  came  out  he  catched  me  by  the  hand,  and 
dismissed  me  with  a  hearty  blessing. 

Fri.  4. — I  came  to  London.  On  Monday,  7,  I  re- 
tired to  a  little  place  near  Hackney,  formerly  a  seat  of 
Bishop  Bonner's  (how  are  the  times  changed  ?),  and  still 
bearing  his  name.    Here  I  was  as  in  a  College. 

Twice  a  day  we  joined  in  prayer.  The  rest  of  the 
day  (allowing  about  an  hour  for  meals,  and  another  for 
walking  before  dinner  and  supper)  I  spent  quietly  in  my 
study. 

Wesley's  Prescriptions 

1755.  Mon.  April  7  (Wednesbury). — I  was  advised  to 
take  the  Derbyshire  road  to  Manchester.  We  baited  at  an 
house  six  miles  beyond  Lichfield.  Observing  a  womaa 
sitting  in  the  kitchen,  I  asked,  "  Are  you  not  well  ? " 
and  found  she  had  just  been  taken  ill  (being  on  her 
journey),  with  all  the  symptoms  of  an  approaching 
pleurisy.  She  was  glad  to  hear  of  an  easy,  cheap,  and 
(almost)  infallible  remedy — an  handful  of  nettles,  boiled 
a  few  minutes,  and  applied  warm  to  the  side.  While  I 
was  speaking  to  her,  an  elderly  man,  pretty  well  dressed, 
came  in.  Upon  inquiry,  he  told  us  he  was  travelling, 
as  he  could,  towards  his  home  near  Hounslow,  in  hopes 
of  agreeing  with  his  creditors,  to  whom  he  had  surren- 


218  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  1755 

dered  his  all.  But  how  to  get  on  he  knew  not,  as  he 
had  no  money,  and  had  caught  a  tertian  ague.  I  hope 
a  wise  Providence  directed  this  wanderer  also,  that  he 
might  have  a  remedy  for  both  his  maladies. 

Mon.  14. — I  rode  by  Manchester  (where  I  preached 
about  twelve)  to  Warrington.  At  six  in  the  morning, 
Tuesday,  15,  I  preached  to  a  large  and  serious  congre- 
gation ;  and  then  went  on  to  Liverpool,  one  of  the 
neatest,  best-built  towns  I  have  seen  in  England :  I  think 
it  is  full  twice  as  large  as  Chester ;  most  of  the  streets 
are  quite  straight.  Two  thirds  of  the  town,  we  were 
informed,  have  been  added  within  these  forty  years.  If 
it  continue  to  increase  in  the  same  proportion,  in  forty 
years  more  it  will  nearly  equal  Bristol.  The  people  in 
general  are  the  most  mild  and  courteous  I  ever  saw  in  a 
seaport  town ;  as  indeed  appears  by  their  friendly  be- 
haviour, not  only  to  the  Jews  and  Papists  who  live 
among  them,  but  even  to  the  Methodists  (so  called). 
The  preaching-house  is  a  little  larger  than  that  at  New- 
castle. It  was  thoroughly  filled  at  seven  in  the  evening ; 
and  the  hearts  of  the  whole  congregation  seemed  to  be 
moved  before  the  Lord,  and  before  the  presence  of  his 
power. 

Wesley  and  the  Sunshine 

Thur.  24. — We  rode  in  less  than  four  hours  the  eight 
miles  (so  called)  to  Newell  Hay  [from  Bolton].  Just  as 
I  began  to  preach  the  sun  broke  out,  and  shone  exceed- 
ing hot  on  the  side  of  my  head.  I  found,  if  it  continued, 
I  should  not  be  able  to  speak  long,  and  lifted  up  my 
heart  to  God.  In  a  minute  or  two  it  was  covered  with 
clouds,  which  continued  till  the  service  was  over.  Let 
any  who  please,  call  this  chance :  I  call  it  an  answer  to 
prayer. 


May  1755    AN  IMPORTANT  CONFERENCE  219 

Fri.  25.— About  ten  I  preached  near  Todmorden. 
The  people  stood,  row  above  row,  on  the  side  of  the 
mountain.  They  were  rough  enough  in  outward  appear- 
ance ;  but  their  hearts  were  as  melting  wax. 

One  can  hardly  conceive  anything  more  delightful 
than  the  vale  through  which  we  rode  from  hence.  The 
river  ran  through  the  green  meadows  on  the  right.  The 
fruitful  hills  and  woods  rose  on  either  hand. 

At  three  in  the  afternoon  I  preached  at  Heptonstall, 
on  the  brow  of  the  mountain.  The  rain  began  almost 
as  soon  as  I  began  to  speak.  I  prayed  that,  if  God  saw 
best,  it  might  be  stayed,  till  I  had  delivered  his  word. 
It  was  so,  and  then  began  again.  But  we  had  only  a 
short  stage  to  Ewood. 

Tues.  May  6. — Our  Conference  began  at  Leeds. 
The  point  on  which  we  desired  all  the  preachers  to 
speak  their  minds  at  large  was,  "  Whether  we  ought  to 
separate  from  the  Church  ?  "  Whatever  was  advanced 
on  one  side  or  the  other  was  seriously  and  calmly  con- 
sidered ;  and  on  the  third  day  we  were  all  fully  agreed 
in  that  general  conclusion — that  (whether  it  was  lawful 
or  not)  it  was  no  ways  expedient. 

Men.  12. — We  rode  (my  wife  and  I)  to  Northaller- 
ton. 

Wed.  21. — I  preached  at  Nafferton,  near  Horsley, 
about  thirteen  miles  from  Newcastle.  We  rode  chiefly 
on  the  new  western  road,  which  lies  on  the  old  Roman 
wall.  Some  part  of  this  is  still  to  be  seen,  as  are  the 
remains  of  most  of  the  towers,  which  were  built  a  mile 
distant  from  each  other,  quite  from  sea  to  sea.  But 
where  are  the  men  of  renown  who  built  them,  and  who 
once  made  all  the  land  tremble  ?  Crumbled  into  dust ! 
Gone  hence,  to  be  no  more  seen,  till  the  earth  shall  give 
up  her  dead  1 


220  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1755 

June  2. — We  rode  to  Thirsk,  where  I  met  the  little 
society;  and  then  went  on  to  York.  The  people  had 
been  waiting  for  some  time.  So  I  began  preaching 
without  delay,  and  felt  no  want  of  strength,  though  the 
room  was  like  an  oven  through  the  multitude  of  people. 

Sat.  7. — One  of  the  residentiaries  sent  for  Mr. 
Williamson,  who  had  invited  me  to  preach  in  his  church, 
and  told  him,  "  Sir,  I  abhor  persecution  ;  but  if  you  let 
Mr.  Wesley  preach,  it  will  be  the  worse  for  you."  He 
desired  it  nevertheless;  but  I  declined.  Perhaps  there 
is  a  providence  in  this  also.  God  will  not  suffer  my 
little  remaining  strength  to  be  spent  on  those  who  will 
not  hear  me  but  in  an  honourable  way. 

The  Room  Was  Like  an  Oven 
Sun.  8. — We  were  at  the  minster  in  the  morning,  and 
at  our  parish-church  in  the  afternoon.  The  same 
gentleman  preached  at  both ;  but  though  I  saw  him  at 
the  church,  I  did  not  know  I  had  ever  seen  him  before. 
In  the  morning  he  was  all  life  and  motion ;  in  the  after- 
noon he  was  as  quiet  as  a  post.  At  five  in  the  evening, 
the  rain  constrained  me  to  preach  in  the  oven  again. 
The  patience  of  the  congregation  surprised  me.  They 
seemed  not  to  feel  the  extreme  heat,  nor  to  be  offended 
at  the  close  application  of  those  words,  "  Thou  art  not 
far  from  the  kingdom  of  God." 

Mon.  16. — I  preached  in  the  evening  at  Nottingham, 
and  on  Thursday  afternoon  reached  London.  From  a 
deep  sense  of  the  amazing  work  which  God  has  of  late 
years  wrought  in  England,  I  preached  in  the  evening  on 
those  words  (Psalm  cxlvii.  20),  He  hath  not  dealt  so 
with  any  nation  " ;  no,  not  even  with  Scotland  or  New- 
England.  In  both  these  God  has  indeed  made  bare  his 
arm ;  yet  not  in  so  astonishing  a  manner  as  among  us. 


Sept.  1755    EFFECTS  OF  METHODISM  221 


This  must  appear  to  all  who  impartially  consider,  i.  The 
numbers  of  persons  on  whom  God  has  wrought:  2.  The 
swiftness  of  his  work  in  many,  both  convinced  and 
truly  converted  in  a  few  days  :  3.  The  depth  of  it  in 
most  of  these,  changing  the  heart,  as  well  as  the  whole 
conversation :  4.  The  clearness  of  it,  enabling  them 
boldly  to  say,  "  Thou  hast  loved  me ;  thou  hast  given 
thyself  for  me  "  :  5.  The  continuance  of  it. 

Tues.  24  (London). — Observing  in  that  valuable 
book,  Mr.  Gillies's  "  Historical  Collections,"  the  custom 
of  Christian  congregations  in  all  ages  to  set  apart  seasons 
of  solemn  thanksgivings,  I  was  amazed  and  ashamed 
that  we  had  never  done  this,  after  all  the  blessings  we 
had  received  :  and  many  to  whom  I  mentioned  it  gladly 
agreed  to  set  apart  a  day  for  that  purpose. 

**This  is  no  Mazed  Man** 

Sun.  Aug.  31. — At  five  I  preached  in  Gwennap,  to 
several  thousands ;  but  not  one  of  them  light  or  inatten- 
tive. After  I  had  done,  the  storm  arose,  and  the  rain 
poured  down,  till  about  four  in  the  morning :  then  the 
sky  cleared,  and  many  of  them  that  feared  God  gladly 
assembled  before  him. 

Mon.  Sept.  i. — I  preached  at  Penryn,  to  abundantly 
more  than  the  house  could  contain. 

Tues.  2. — We  went  to  Falmouth.  The  town  is  not  now 
what  it  was  ten  years  since  :  all  is  quiet  from  one  end 
to  the  other.  I  had  thoughts  of  preaching  on  the  hill 
near  the  church ;  but  the  violent  wind  made  it  impractic- 
able :  so  I  was  obliged  to  stay  in  our  own  room.  The 
people  could  hear  in  the  yard  likewise,  and  the  adjoining 
houses ;  and  all  were  deeply  attentive. 

Wed.  Sep.  3. — After  preaching  again,  to  a  congrega- 
tion who  now  appeared  ready  to  devour  every  word,  I 


222  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       Sept.  1755 

walked  up  to  Pendennis  castle ;  finely  situated  on  the 
high  point  of  land  which  runs  out  between  the  bay  and 
the  harbour,  and  commanding  both.  It  might  easily  be 
made  exceeding  strong;  but  our  wooden  castles  are 
sufficient. 

In  the  afternoon  we  rode  to  Helstone,  once  turbulent 
enough,  but  now  quiet  as  Penryn.  I  preached  at  six, 
on  a  rising  ground,  about  a  musket-shot  from  the  town. 
Two  drunken  men  strove  to  interrupt ;  but  one  soon 
walked  away  :  the  other  leaned  on  his  horse's  neck,  and 
fell  fast  asleep. 

About  noon,  Friday,  5,  I  called  on  W.  Row,  in 
Breage,  in  my  way  to  Newlyn.  "  Twelve  years  ago,"  he 
said,  "  I  was  going  over  Gulval  Downs,  and  I  saw  many 
people  together ;  and  I  asked  what  was  the  matter ;  and 
they  told  me  a  man  was  going  to  preach :  and  I  said, 
'  To  be  sure  it  is  some  mazed  man ' :  but  when  I  saw 
you,  I  said,  '  Nay,  this  is  no  mazed  man ' :  and  you 
preached  on  God's  raising  the  dry  bones  ;  and  from 
that  time  I  could  never  rest  till  God  was  pleased  to 
breathe  on  me,  and  raise  my  dead  soul." 

Slandering  "Wesley  in  the  Pulpit 

I  had  given  no  notice  of  preaching  here ;  but  seeing 
the  poor  people  flock  from  every  side,  I  could  not  send 
them  empty  away.  So  I  preached  at  a  small  distance 
from  the  house ;  and  besought  them  to  consider  our 
"  great  High  Priest,  who  is  passed  through  into  the 
heavens  "  :  and  none  opened  his  mouth ;  for  the  lions 
of  Breage  too  are  now  changed  into  lambs.  That  they 
were  so  fierce  ten  years  ago  is  no  wonder;  since  their 
wretched  minister  told  them,  from  the  pulpit  (seven 
years  before  I  resigned  my  fellowship),  that  "John 
Wesley  was  expelled  the  College  for  a  base  child,  ar.d 


SiPT.  175;    A  STRANGE  APPARITION  223 

had  been  quite  mazed  ever  since :  that  all  the  Methodists, 
at  their  private  societies,  put  out  the  lights,"  &c. ;  with 
abundance  more  of  the  same  kind.  But  a  year  or  two 
since,  it  was  observed,  he  grew  thoughtful  and  melan 
choly ;  and,  about  nine  months  ago,  he  went  into  his 
own  necessary  house,  and  hanged  himself. 

Sat.  6. — In  the  evening  I  preached  at  St.  Just. 
Except  at  Gwennap,  I  have  seen  no  such  congregation 
in  Cornwall.  The  sun  (nor  could  we  contrive  it  other- 
wise) shone  full  in  my  face,  when  I  began  the  hymn : 
but  just  as  I  ended  it,  a  cloud  arose,  which  covered  it 
till  I  had  done  preaching.  Is  anything  too  small  for 
the  providence  of  him  by  whom  our  very  hairs  are 
numbered  ? 

Sun.  7. — Last  year,  a  strange  letter,  written  at  Pen- 
zance, was  inserted  in  the  public  papers.  To-day  I 
spoke  to  the  two  persons  who  occasioned  that  letter. 
They  are  of  St.  Just  parish,  sensible  men,  and  no 
Methodists.  The  name  of  one  is  James  Tregeer,  of  the 
other,  Thomas  Srckerly.  I  received  the  account  from 
James,  two  or  three  hours  before  Thomas  came :  but 
there  was  no  material  difference.  In  July  was  twelve- 
month, they  both  said,  as  they  were  walking  from 
St.  Just  church  town  toward  Sancreet,  Thomas,  happen- 
ing to  look  up,  cried  out,  "  James,  look,  look !  What 
is  that  in  the  sky  ?  "  The  first  appearance,  as  James 
expressed  it,  was,  three  large  columns  of  horsemen, 
swiftly  pressing  on,  as  in  a  fight,  from  south-west  to 
north-east;  a  broad  streak  of  sky  being  between  each 
column.  Sometimes  they  seemed  to  run  thick  together  ; 
then  to  thin  their  ranks.  Afterward  they  saw  a  large 
fleet  of  three-mast  ships,  in  full  sail  toward  the  Lizard 
Point.  This  continued  above  a  quarter  of  an  hour  : 
then,  all  disappearing,  they  went  on  their  way.  The 


224.  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1755 

meaning  of  this,  if  it  was  real  (which  I  do  not  affirm), 
time  only  can  show. 

Extraordinary  Coincidence 
Sat.  13.— I' preached  once  more  at  St.  Just,  on  the 
first  stone  of  their  new  society-house.  In  the  evening, 
as  we  rode  to  Camborne,  John  Pearce,  of  Redruth,  was 
mentioning  a  remarkable  incident :  While  he  lived  at 
Helstone,  as  thoir  class  was  meeting  one  evening,  one  of 
them  cried,  with  an  uncommon  tone,  "  We  will  not  stay 
here :  we  will  go  to "  such  an  house,  which  was  in  a 
quite  different  part  of  the  town.  They  all  rose  immedi- 
ately, and  went ;  though  neither  they  nor  she  knew  why. 
Presently  after  they  were  gone,  a  spark  fell  into  a  barrel 
of  gunpowder,  which  was  in  the  next  roorn,  and  blew  up 
the  house.  So  did  God  preserve  those  who  trusted  in 
him,  and  prevent  the  blasphemy  of  the  multitude. 

Mon.  15. — We  walked  an  hour  near  the  sea-shore 
[at  Cubert],  among  those  amazing  caverns,  which  are  full 
as  surprising  as  Pool's  Hole,  or  any  other  in  the  Peak  of 
Derbyshire.  Some  part  of  the  rock  in  these  natural 
vaults  glitters  as  bright  and  ruddy  as  gold  :  part  is  a  fine 
sky-blue ;  part  green  ;  part  enamelled,  exactly  like 
mother-of-pearl ;  and  a  great  part,  especially  near  the 
Holy  Well  (which  bubbles  up  on  the  top  of  a  rock,  and 
is  famous  for  curing  either  scorbutic  or  scrofulous  dis- 
orders), is  crusted  over,  wherever  the  water  runs,  with 
an  hard,  white  coat  like  alabaster. 

Tues.  23. — We  walked  up  to  Glastonbury  Tower, 
which  a  gentleman  is  now  repairing.  It  is  the  steeple 
of  a  church,  the  foundation  of  which  is  still  discernible. 
On  the  west  side  of  the  tower  there  are  niches  for 
images ;  one  of  which,  as  big  as  the  life,  is  still  entire. 
The  hill  on  which  it  stands  is  extremely  steep,  and  of  an 


Nov.  1755  AN  EXTRAORDINARY  STORM  225 


uncommon  height;  so  that  it  commands  the  country  on 
all  sides,  as  well  as  the  Bristol  Channel.  I  was  weary 
enough,  when  we  came  to  Bristol ;  but  I  preached  till 
all  my  complaints  were  gone ;  and  I  had  now  a  little 
leisure  to  sit  still,  and  finish  the  "  Notes  on  the  New 
Testament." 

Wed.  Nov.  5. — Mr.  Whitefield  called  upon  me; — 
disputings  are  now  no  more ;  we  love  one  another,  and 
join  hand  in  hand  to  promote  the  cause  of  our  common 
Master. 

** Macbeth**  and  Thunder  at  Drury  Lane 
Mon.  17. — As  we  were  walking  towards  Wapping, 
the  rain  poured  down  with  such  violence,  that  we  were 
obliged  to  take  shelter  till  it  abated.  We  then  held  on 
to  Gravel  Lane ;  in  many  parts  of  which  the  waters  were 
like  a  river.  However,  we  got  on  pretty  well,  till  the 
rain  put  out  the  candle  in  our  lantern.  We  then  were 
obliged  to  wade  through  all,  till  we  came  to  the  chapel- 
yard.  Just  as  we  entered  it,  a  little  streak  of  lightning 
appeared  in  the  south-west.  There  was  likewise  a  small 
clap  of  thunder,  and  a  vehement  burst  of  rain,  which 
rushed  so  plentifully  through  our  shattered  tiles,  that 
the  vestry  was  all  in  a  float.  Soon  after  I  began  read- 
ing prayers,  the  lightning  flamed  all  round  it,  and  the 
thunder  rolled  just  over  our  heads.  When  it  grew 
louder  and  louder,  perceiving  many  of  the  strangers  to 
be  much  affrighted,  I  broke  off  the  prayers  after  the 
collect,  "  Lighten  our  darkness,  we  beseech  thee,  O 
Lord  " ;  and  began  applying,  "  The  Lord  sitteth  above 
the  water-flood ;  the  Lord  remaineth  a  king  for  ever." 
Presently  the  lightning,  thunder,  and  rain  ceased,  and 
we  had  a  remarkably  calm  evening. 

It  was  observed,  that  exactly  at  this  hour,  they  were 

p 


226 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  1756 


acting  "  Macbeth  "  in  Drury-lane ;  and  just  as  the  mock- 
thunder  began,  the  Lord  began  to  thunder  out  of  heaven. 
For  a  while  it  put  them  to  a  stand ;  but  they  sqon  took 
courage,  and  went  on.  Otherwise  it  might  have  been 
suspected  that 'the  fear  of  God  had  crept  into  the  very 
theatre ! 

Fri.  Dec.  12. — As  I  was  returning  from  Zoar,  I  came 
as  well  as  usual  to  Moorfields;  but  there  my  strength 
entirely  failed,  and  such  a  faintness  and  weariness  seized 
me,  that  it  was  with  difficulty  I  got  home.  I  could  not 
but  think,  how  happy  it  would  be  (suppose  we  were 
ready  for  the  Bridegroom)  to  sink  down  and  steal  away  at 
once,  without  any  of  the  hurry  and  pomp  of  dying  ! 
Yet  it  is  happier  still  to  glorify  God  in  our  death,  as 
well  as  our  life. 

Tues.  23. — I  was  in  the  robe-chamber,  adjoining  to 
the  House  of  Lords,  when  the  King  put  on  his  robes. 
His  brow  was  much  furrowed  with  age,  and  quite 
clouded  with  care.  And  is  this  all  the  world  can  give 
even  to  a  king  ?  all  the  grandeur  it  can  afford  ?  A 
blanket  of  ermine  round  his  shoulders,  so  heavy  and 
cumbersome  he  can  scarce  move  under  it !  An  huge 
heap  of  borrowed  hair,  with  a  few  plates  of  gold  and 
glittering  stones  upon  his  head !  Alas,  what  a  bauble  is 
human  greatness  I    And  even  this  will  not  endure. 

At  Dover  Castle 

1756.  Mon.  Jan.  26. — I  rode  to  Canterbury,  and 
preached  in  the  evening  to  such  a  congregation  as  I 
never  saw  there  before ;  in  which  were  abundance  of  the 
soldiers,  and  not  a  few  of  their  officers. 

Wed.  28  I  preached  about  noon  at  Dover,  to  a 

very  serious  but  small  congregation.  We  afterwards 
walked  up  to  the  castle,  on  the  top  of  a  mountain.  It 


March  1756    CHRISTIAN  FIGHTING  MEN  227 

is  an  amazing  fine  situation ;  and  from  hence  we  had  a 
clear  view  of  that  vast  piece  of  the  cliff,  which  a  few 
days  ago  divided  from  the  rest,  and  fell  down  upon  the 
beach. 

Fri.  30. — In  returning  to  London,  I  read  the  life  of  k 
the  late  Czar,  Peter  the  Great.  Undoubtedly  he  was  a 
soldier,  a  general,  and  a  statesman,  scarce  inferior  to 
any.  But  why  was  he  called  a  Christian  ?  What  has 
Christianity  to  do  either  with  deep  dissimulation  or 
savage  cruelty  ? 

Fri.  Feb.  6. — The  fast-day  was  a  glorious  day :  such 
as  London  has  scarce  seen  since  the  Restoration.  Every 
church  in  the  city  was  more  than  full,  and  a  solemn 
seriousness  sat  on  every  face.  Surely  God  heareth  the 
prayer ;  and  there  will  yet  be  a  lengthening  of  our  tran- 
quillity. 

Preaching  to  a  Press-gang 

Mon.  23. — I  paid  another  visit  to  Canterbury,  but 
came  in  too  late  to  preach. 

Tues.  24. — Abundance  of  soldiers  and  many  officers 
came  to  the  preaching.  And  surely  the  fear  and  the 
love  of  God  will  prepare  them  either  for  death  or 
victory. 

Wed.  25. — I  dined  with  Colonel   ,  who  said, 

"  No  men  fight  like  those  who  fear  God :  I  had  rather 
command  five  hundred  such,  than  any  regiment  in  his 
Majesty's  army." 

Thur.  March  11. — I  rode  to  Pill,  and  preached  to  a 
large  and  attentive  congregation.  A  great  part  of  them 
were  seafaring  men.  In  the  middle  of  my  discourse,  a 
press-gang  landed  from  a  man-of-war,  and  came  up  to 
the  place :  but  after  they  had  listened  a  while,  they 
went  quietly  by,  and  molested  nobody. 


22d 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL      March  1756 


Mon.  15. — I  rode  to  the  Old  Passage  :  but  finding  we 
could  not  pass,  we  went  on  to  Purton ;  which  we 
reached  about  four  in  the  afternoon.  But  we  were  no 
nearer  still;  for  the  boatmen  lived  on  the  other  side, 
and  the  wind  Was  so  high,  we  could  not  possibly  make 
them  hear.  However,  we  determined  to  wait  a  while  ; 
and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they  came  of  their  own 
accord.  We  reached  Coleford  before  seven  ;  and  found 
a  plain,  loving  people,  who  received  the  word  of  God 
with  all  gladness. 

Fri.  19. — I  rode  over  to  Howell  Harris  at  Trevecka, 
though  not  knowing  how  to  get  any  further.  But  he 
helped  us  out  of  our  difficulties ;  offering  to  send  one 
with  us  who  would  show  us  the  way,  and  bring  our 
horses  back :  so  I  then  determined  to  go  on  to  Holy- 
head, after  spending  a  day  or  two  at  Brecknock. 

Sat.  20. — It  being  the  day  appointed  for  the  Justices 
and  Commissioners  to  meet,  the  town  was  extremely 
full ;  and  curiosity  (if  no  better  motive)  brought  most  ot 
the  gentlemen  to  the  preaching.  Such  another  oppor- 
tunity could  not  have  been  of  speaking  to  all  the  rich  and 
great  of  the  county  :  and  they  all  appeared  to  be  serious 
and  attentive.    Perhaps  one  or  two  may  lay  it  to  heart. 

Mon.  22. — It  continued  fair  till  we  came  to  Builih  ; 
where  I  preached  to  the  usual  congregation.  Mr. 
Phillips  then  guided  us  to  Royader,  about  fourteen 
English  miles.  It  snowed  hard  behind  us  and  on  both 
sides,  but  not  at  all  where  we  were. 

Tues.  23. — When  we  took  horse,  there  was  nothing 
to  be  seen  but  a  waste  of  white :  the  snow  covered  both 
hills  and  vales.  As  we  could  see  no  path,  it  was  not 
without  much  difficulty,  as  well  as  danger,  that  we  went 
on.  But  between  seven  and  eight  the  sun  broke  out, 
and  the  snow  began  to  melt :  so  we  thought  all  our 


March  1756   ROARING  SEA  CAPTAINS 


229 


difficulty  was  over ;  till,  about  nine,  the  snow  fell  faster 
than  ever.  In  an  hour  it  changed  into  hail;  which,  as 
we  rode  over  the  mountains,  drove  violently  in  our  face. 
About  twelve  this  turned  into  hard  rain,  followed  by  an 
impetuous  wind.  However,  we  pushed  on  through  all, 
and  before  sunset  came  to  Dolgelly. 

"Waiting  for  the  Ferry 

Here  we  found  everything  we  wanted  except  sleep,  01 
which  we  were  deprived  by  a  company  of  drunken, 
roaring  sea  captains,  who  kept  possession  of  the  room 
beneath  us,  till  between  two  and  three  in  the  morning  : 
so  that  we  did  not  take  horse  till  after  six ;  and  then  we 
could  make  no  great  speed,  the  frost  being  exceeding 
sharp,  and  much  ice  in  the  road.  Hence  we  were  not 
able  to  reach  TannabuU  till  between  eleven  and  twelve. 
An  honest  Welshman  here  gave  us  to  know  (though  he 
spoke  no  English)  that  he  was  just  going  over  the  sands. 
So  we  hastened  on  with  him,  and  by  that  means  came  in 
good  time  to  Carnarvon. 

Here  we  passed  a  quiet  and  comfortable  nighr,  and 
took  horse  about  six  in  the  morning.  Supposing,  after 
we  had  rode  near  an  hour,  that  a  little  house  on  the 
other  side  was  the  ferry-house,  we  went  down  to  the 
water,  and  called  amain :  but  we  could  not  procure  any 
answer.  In  the  mean  time  it  began  to  rain  hard,  though 
the  wind  was  extremely  high.  Finding  none  would 
come  over,  we  went  to  a  little  church  which  stood  near, 
for  shelter. 

We  had  waited  about  an  hour,  when  a  woman  and 
girl  came  into  the  church-yard,  whom  I  did  not  mind, 
supposing  they  could  speak  no  EngUsh.  They  were 
following  a  sheep,  which  ran  close  to  us.  I  then  asked, 
"  Is  not  this   Baldon  Ferry  ? "    The  girl  answered, 


230  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL     March  1756 

"  Baldon  Ferry !  No.  The  ferry  is  two  miles  further." 
So  we  might  have  called  long  enough.  When  we  came 
to  Baldon  the  wind  fell,  the  sky  cleared  up,  the  boat 
came  over  without  delay,  and  soon  landed  us  in  Anglesey. 
On  our  way  to  Holyhead,  one  met  and  informed  us,  the 
packet  sailed  the  night  before.  I  said,  Perhaps  it  may 
carry  me  for  all  that."  So  we  pushed  on,  and  came 
thither  in  the  afternoon.  The  packet  did  sail  the  night 
before,  and  got  more  than  half  sea  over.  But  the  wind 
turning  against  them  and  blowing  hard,  they  were  glad 
to  get  back  this  afternoon. 

I  scarce  ever  remember  so  violent  a  storm  as  blew 
all  the  night  long.  The  wind  continued  contrary  the 
next  day. 

Irish  Honesty 

Mon.  29. — We  left  the  harbour  about  twelve,  having 
six  or  seven  officers  and  abundance  of  passengers  on 
board.  The  wind  was  full  west,  and  there  was  great 
probability  of  a  stormy  night.  So  it  was  judged  best  to 
put  back ;  but  one  gentleman  making  a  motion,  to  try  a 
little  longer,  in  a  short  time  brought  all  over  to  his 
opinion.  So  they  agreed  to  go  out,  and  "look  for  a 
wind." 

The  wind  continued  westerly  all  the  night.  Neverthe- 
less, in  the  morning  we  were  within  two  leagues  of 
Ireland !  Between  nine  and  ten  I  landed  at  Howth, 
and  walked  on  for  Dublin.  The  congregation  in  the 
evening  was  such  as  I  never  saw  here  before.  I  hope 
this  also  is  a  token  for  good. 

Wed.  31. — In  conversing  with  many,  I  was  surprised 
to  find  that  all  Ireland  is  in  perfect  safety.  None  here 
has  any  more  apprehension  of  an  invasion,  than  of  being 
swallowed  up  in  the  sea;  every  one  being  absolutely 


April  1756    STRANGE  OCCURRENCE  231 

assured,  that  the  French  dare  not  attempt  any  such 
thing. 

Thur.  Apr.  i. — I  bought  one  or  two  books  at  Mr. 
Smith's,  on  the  Blind  Quay.  I  wanted  change  for  a 
guinea,  but  he  could  not  give  it ;  so  I  borrowed  some 
silver  of  my  companion.  The  next  evening  a  young 
gentleman  came  from  Mr.  Smith's  to  tell  me  I  had  left  a 
guinea  on  his  counter.  Such  an  instance  of  honesty  I 
have  rarely  met  with,  either  in  Bristol  or  London. 

A  Remarkable  Premonition  Fulfilled 
Wed.  28. — I  rode  to  TuUamore;  where  one  of  the 
society,  Edward  Willis,   gave  me   a  very  surprising 
account  of  himself,  he  said  : 

"  When  I  was  about  twenty  years  old,  I  went  to 
Waterford  for  business.  After  a  few  weeks  I  resolved 
to  leave  it ;  and  packed  up  my  things,  in  order  to  set 
out  the  next  morning.  This  was  Sunday;  but  my 
landlord  pressed  me  much  not  to  go  till  the  next  day. 
In  the  afternoon  we  walked  out  together,  and  went  into 
the  river.  After  a  while,  leaving  him  near  the  shore,  I 
struck  out  into  the  deep.  I  soon  heard  a  cry,  and, 
turning,  saw  him  rising  and  sinking  in  the  channel  of 
the  river.  I  swam  back  with  all  speed,  and,  seeing  him 
sink  again,  dived  down  after  him.  When  I  was  near  the 
bottom,  he  clasped  his  arm  round  my  neck,  and  held 
me  so  fast  that  I  could  not  rise. 

"  Seeing  death  before  me,  all  my  sins  came  into  my 
mind,  and  I  faintly  called  for  mercy.  In  a  while  my 
senses  went  away,  and  I  thought  I  was  in  a  place  full  of 
light  and  glory,  with  abundance  of  people.  While  I  was 
thus,  he  who  held  me  died,  and  I  floated  up  to  the  top 
of  the  water.  I  then  immediately  came  to  myself,  and 
swam  to  the  shore,  where  several  stood  who  had  seen  us 


232  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1756 

sink,  and  said,  they  never  knew  such  a  deliverance 
before ;  for  I  had  been  under  water  full  twenty  minutes. 
It  made  me  more  serious  for  two  or  three  months. 
Then  I  returned  to  all  my  sins. 

"  But  in  the  hiidst  of  all,  I  had  a  voice  following  me 
everywhere,  '  When  an  able  minister  of  the  Gospel 
comes,  it  will  be  well  with  thee ! '  Some  years  after  I 
entered  into  the  army:  our  troop  lay  at  PhiUipstown, 
when  Mr.  W.  came.  I  was  much  affected  by  his 
preaching;  but  not  so  as  to  leave  my  sins.  The  voice 
followed  me  still,  and  when  Mr.  J.  W.  came,  before  I 
saw  him  I  had  an  unspeakable  conviction  that  he  was 
the  man  I  looked  for :  and  soon  after  I  found  peace 
with  God,  and  it  was  well  with  me  indeed." 

Preaching  in  a  Loft 

Men.  May  10. — I  went  forward  to  Clonmell,  the 
pleasantest  town,  beyond  all  comparison,  which  I  have 
yet  seen  in  Ireland.  It  has  four  broad,  straight  streets 
of  well-built  houses,  which  cross  each  other  in  the  centre 
of  the  town.  Close  to  the  walls,  on  the  south  side,  runs 
a  broad,  clear  river.  Beyond  this  rises  a  green  and 
fruitful  mountain,  and  hangs  over  the  town.  The  vale 
runs  many  miles  both  east  and  west,  and  is  well  culti- 
vated throughout. 

I  preached  at  five  in  a  large  loft,  capable  of  containing 
five  or  six  hundred  people:  but  it  was  not  full;  many 
being  afraid  of  its  falling,  as  another  did  some  years 
before ;  by  which  several  of  the  hearers  were  much  hurt, 
and  one  so  bruised,  that  she  died  in  a  few  days. 

Tues.  II. — I  was  at  a  loss  where  to  preach,  the 
person  who  owned  the  loft  refusing  to  let  me  preach 
there,  or  even  in  the  yard  below.  And  the  Commanding 
Officer  being  asked  for  the  use  of  the  barrack-yard, 


June  1756  A  TRAGIC  DREAM  233 

answered,  it  was  not  a  proper  place.  "  Not,"  said  he, 
"  that  I  have  any  objection  to  Mr.  Wesley.  I  will  hear 
him,  if  he  preaches  under  the  gallows."  It  remained  to 
preach  in  the  street :  and  by  this  means  the  congregation 
was  more  than  doubled.  Both  the  officers  and  soldiers 
gave  great  attention,  till  a  poor  man,  special  drunk,  came 
marching  down  the  street,  attended  by  a  Popish  mob, 
with  a  club  in  one  hand,  and  a  large  cleaver  in  the  other, 
grievously  cur.sing  and  blaspheming,  and  swearing  he 
would  cut  off  the  preacher's  head.  It  was  with  difficulty 
that  I  restrained  the  troopers  ;  especially  them  that  were 
not  of  the  society. 

When  he  came  nearer,  the  mayor  stepped  out  of  the 
congregation,  and  strove,  by  good  words,  to  make  him 
quiet ;  but  he  could  not  prevail :  on  which  he  went  into 
his  house,  and  returned  with  his  white  wand.  At  the 
same  time  he  sent  for  two  constables,  who  presently 
came  with  their  staves.  He  charged  them  not  to  strike 
the  man,  unless  he  struck  first ;  but  this  he  did  immedi- 
ately, as  soon  as  they  came  within  his  reach,  and  wounded 
one  of  them  in  the  wrist.  On  this,  the  other  knocked 
him  down,  which  he  did  three  times  before  he  would 
submit.  The  mayor  then  walked  before,  the  constables 
on  either  hand,  and  conducted  him  to  the  gaol. 

A  Terrible  Dream 

Thur.  June  3. — I  received  a  remarkable  letter  from 
a  clergyman,  with  whom  I  had  been  a  day  or  two 
before.    Part  of  it  ran  thus  : 

"  I  had  the  following  account  from  the  gentlewoman 
herself,  a  person  of  piety  and  veracity.  She  is  now  the 
wife  of  Mr.  J  B  ,  silversmith,  in  Cork. 

" '  About  thirty  years  ago,  I  was  addressed  by  way  of 
marriage,  by  Mr.  Richard  Mercier,  then  a  volunteer  in 


234  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1756 

the  army.  The  young  gentleman  was  quartered  at  that 
time  in  Charleville,  where  my  father  lived,  who  approved 
of  his  addresses,  and  directed  me  to  look  upon  him  as 
my  future  husband.  When  the  regiment  left  the  town, 
he  promised  tp  return  in  two  months,  and  marry  me. 
From  Charleville  he  went  to  Dublin;  thence  to  his 
father's,  and  from  thence  to  England ;  where,  his  father 
having  bought  him  a  Cornetcy  of  horse,  he  purchased 
many  ornaments  for  the  wedding ;  and,  returning  to 
Ireland,  let  us  know  that  he  would  be  at  our  house  in 
Charleville  in  a  few  days. 

" '  On  this  the  family  was  busied  to  prepare  for  his 
reception,  and  the  ensuing  marriage ;  when  one  night, 
my  sister  Molly  and  I  being  asleep  in  our  bed,  I  was 
awakened  by  the  sudden  opening  of  the  side-curtain,  and, 
starting  up,  saw  Mr.  Mercier  standing  by  the  bed-side. 
He  was  wrapped  up  in  a  loose  sheet,  and  had  a  napkin 
folded  like  a  night-cap,  on  his  head.  He  looked  at  me 
very  earnestly,  and,  lifting  up  the  napkin,  which  much 
shaded  his  face,  showed  me  the  left  side  of  his  head,  all 
bloody  and  covered  with  his  brains.  The  room  mean- 
time was  quite  light.  My  terror  was  excessive,  which 
was  still  increased  by  his  stooping  over  the  bed,  and 
embracing  me  in  his  arms.  My  cries  alarmed  the  whole 
family,  who  came  crowding  into  the  room. 

"  '  Upon  their  entrance,  he  gently  withdrew  his  arms, 
and  ascended,  as  it  were,  through  the  ceiling.  I  con- 
tinued for  some  time  in  strong  fits.  When  I  could 
speak,  I  told  them  what  I  had  seen.  One  of  them,  a 
day  or  two  after,  going  to  the  post-master  for  letters, 
four  him  reading  the  newspapers,  in  which  was  an 
account,  that  Cornet  Mercier,  going  into  Christ  Church 
belfry,  in  Dublin,  just  after  the  bells  had  been  ringing, 
and  standing  under  the  bells,  one  of  them,  which  was 


Aug.  1756   AT  KILCONNEL  CHURCH 


255 


turned  bottom  upwards,  suddenly  turning  again,  struck 
one  side  of  his  head,  and  killed  him  on  the  spot.  On 
further  inquiry,  we  found  he  was  struck  on  the  left  side 
of  his  head.'  " 

Sun.  July  4. — In  the  morning  we  rode  through  Tuam,  a 
neat  little  town,  scarce  half  so  large  as  Islington ;  nor  is 
the  cathedral  half  so  large  as  Islington  church.  The  old 
church  at  Kilconnel,  two  miles  from  Aghrim,  is  abun- 
dantly larger.  If  one  may  judge  by  the  vast  ruins  that 
remain  (over  all  which  we  walked  in  the  afternoon),  it 
was  a  far  more  stately  pile  of  building  than  any  that  is 
now  standing  in  Ireland.  Adjoining  to  it  are  the  ruins 
of  a  large  monastery;  many  of  the  cells  and  apartments 
are  pretty  entire.  At  the  west  end  of  the  church  lie 
abundance  of  skulls,  piled  one  upon  another,  with 
innumerable  bones  round  about,  scattered  as  dung  upon 
the  earth.    O  sin,  what  hast  thou  done  1 

The  Delights  of  North  "Wales 
Fri.  Aug.  6. — On  this  and  the  next  day  I  finished  my 
business  in  Ireland,  so  as  to  be  ready  to  sail  at  an  hour's 
warning. 

Sun.  8. — We  were  to  sail,  the  wind  being  fair ;  but 
as  we  were  going  aboard,  it  turned  full  east.  I  find  it 
of  great  use  to  be  in  suspense  :  it  is  an  excellent  means 
of  breaking  our  will.  May  we  be  ready  either  to  stay 
longer  on  this  shore,  or  to  lanch  into  eternity ! 

On  Tuesday  evening  I  preached  my  farewell  sermon. 
Mr.  Walsh  did  the  same  in  the  morning.  We  then 
walked  to  the  quay  :  but  it  was  still  a  doubt,  whether 
we  were  to  sail  or  no ;  Sir  T.  P.  having  sent  word  to 
the  captain  of  the  packet  that  if  the  wind  was  fair,  he 
would  go  over ;  and  it  being  his  custom  to  keep  the 
whole  ship  to  himself.    But  the  wind  coming  to  the 


236 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1756 


east,  he  would  not  go;  so  about  noon  we  went  on 
board.  In  two  or  three  hours  we  reached  the  mouth  of 
the  harbour.  It  then  fell  calm.  We  had  five  cabin- 
passengers,  beside  Mr.  Walsh,  Haughton,  Morgan,  and 
me.  They  were  all  civil,  and  tolerably  serious ;  the 
sailors  likewise  behaved  uncommonly  well. 

Thur.  12. — About  eight  we  began  singing  on  the 
quarterdeck  ;  which  soon  drew  all  our  fellow  passengers, 
as  well  as  the  captain,  with  the  greatest  part  of  his  men. 
I  afterwards  gave  an  exhortation.  We  then  spent  some 
time  in  prayer.  They  all  kneeled  down  with  us ;  nor 
did  their  seriousness  wear  off  all  the  day.  About  nine 
we  landed  at  Holyhead,  after  a  pleasant  passage  of 
twenty-three  hours. 

Fri.  1 3. — Having  hired  horses  for  Chester,  we  set  out 
about  seven.  Before  one  we  reached  Bangor,  the 
situation  of  which  is  delightful  beyond  expression.  Here 
we  saw  a  large  and  handsome  cathedral,  but  no  trace  of 
the  good  old  monks  of  Bangor ;  so  many  hundreds  of 
whom  fell  a  sacrifice  at  once  to  cruelty  and  revenge.  The 
country  from  hence  to  Penmaen-Mawr  is  far  pleasanter 
than  any  garden.  ^Mountains  of  every  shape  and  size, 
vales  clothed  with  grass  or  corn,  woods  and  smaller  tufLS 
ot  trees,  were  continually  varying  on  the  one  hand,  as 
was  the  sea  prospect  on  the  other. 

Penmaen-AIawr  itself  rises  almost  perpendicular  to  an 
enormous  height  from  the  sea.  The  road  runs  along  the 
side  of  it,  so  far  above  the  beach,  that  one  could  not 
venture  to  look  down,  but  that  there  is  a  wall  built 
all  along,  about  four  foot  high.  Meantime,  the  ragged 
cliff  hangs  over  one's  head,  as  if  it  would  fall  every  mo- 
ment. An  hour  after  we  had  left  this  awful  place,  we 
came  to  the  ancient  town  of  Conway.  It  is  walled 
round ;  and  the  walls  are  in  tolerably  good  repair.  The 


Sept.  175^  PRINTING  AND  PREACHING  DEBT  237 


castle  is  the  noblest  ruin  I  ever  saw.  It  is  four-square, 
and  has  four  large  round  towers,  one  at  each  corner,  the 
inside  of  which  have  been  stately  apartments.  One  side 
of  the  castle  is  a  large  church,  the  windows  and  arches 
of  which  have  been  curiously  wrought.  An  arm  of  the 
sea  runs  round  two  sides  of  the  hill  on  which  the  castle 
stands ; — once  the  delight  of  kings,  now  overgrown  with 
thorns,  and  inhabited  by  doleful  birds  only. 

"Weslcy*s  Debt  of  £1236 

Wed.  25. — We  rode  on  to  Bristol. 

Thur.  26. — About  fifty  of  us  being  met,  the  Rules  of 
the  Society  were  read  over,  and  carefully  considered  one 
by  one;  but  we  did  not  find  any  that  could  be  spared. 
So  we  all  agreed  to  abide  by  them  all,  and  to  recommend 
them  with  our  might. 

We  then  largely  considered  the  necessity  of  keeping 
in  the  Church  and  using  the  clergy  with  tenderness  ; 
and  there  was  no  dissenting  voice.  God  gave  us  all  to 
be  of  one  mind  and  of  one  judgment. 

.Fri.  27. — The  Rules  of  the  Bands  were  read  over  and 
considered,  one  by  one ;  which,  after  some  verbal  altera- 
tions, we  all  agreed  to  observe  and  enforce. 

Sat.  28. — My  brother  and  I  closed  the  Conference  by  a 
solemn  declaration  of  our  purpose  never  to  separate  from 
the  Church;  and  all  our  brethren  concurred  therein. 

Mon.  Sep.  6. — I  set  out  in  the  machine,  and  on 
Tuesday  evening  came  to  London. 

Wednesday  and  Thursday,  I  settled  my  temporal 
business.  It  is  now  about  eighteen  years  since  I  began 
writing  and  printing  books  ;  and  how  much  in  that  time 
have  I  gained  by  printing  ?  Why,  on  summing  up  my 
accounts,  I  found  that  on  March  i,  1756  (the  day  I  left 
London  last),  I  had  gained  by  printing  and  preaching 


I  23§^  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1757 

together,  a  debt  of  twelve  hundred  and  thirty  -  six 
pounds. 

Sun.  Oct,  10. — I  preached  to  an  huge  multitude  in 
Moorfields,  o^n,  "  Why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel  ?  " 
It  is  field-preaching  which  does  the  execution  still :  for 
usefulness  there  is  none  comparable  to  it. 

Wesley  on  Electricity  as  a  Cure 
Tues.  Nov.  9. — Having  procured  an  apparatus  on 
purpose,  I  ordered  several  persons  to  be  electrified,  who 
were  ill  of  various  disorders ;  some  of  whom  found  an 
immediate,  some  a  gradual,  cure.  From  this  time  I 
appointed,  first  some  hours  in  every  week,  and  afterward 
an  hour  in  every  day,  wherein  any  that  desired  it,  might 
try  the  virtue  of  this  surprising  medicine.  Two  or 
three  years  after,  our  patients  were  so  numerous  that  we 
were  obliged  to  divide  them  :  so  part  were  electrified  in 
Southwark,  part  at  the  Foundery,  others  near  St.  Paul's, 
and  the  rest  near  the  Seven  Dials :  the  same  method  we 
have  taken  ever  since ;  and  to  this  day,  while  hundreds, 
perhaps  thousands,  have  received  unspeakable  good,  I 
have  not  known  one  man,  woman,  or  child,  who  has 
received  any  hurt  thereby :  so  that  when  I  hear  any  talk 
of  the  danger  of  being  electrified  (especially  if  they  are 
medical  men  who  talk  so),  I  cannot  but  impute  it  to 
great  want  either  of  sense  or  honesty. 

1757.  Tues.  May  31. — I  breakfasted  at  Dumfries, 
and  spent  an  hour  with  a  poor  backslider  of  London, 
who  had  been  for  some  years  settled  there.  We  then 
rode  through  an  uncommonly  pleasant  country  (so 
widely  distant  is  common  report  from  truth)  to  Thorny 
Hill,  two  or  three  miles  from  the  Duke  of  Queens- 
borough's  seat ;  an  ancient  and  noble  pile  of  building, 
delightfully  situated  on  the  side  of  a  pleasant  and  fruitful 


Jlne  1757       WESLEY  IN  GLASGOW 


239 


hill.  But  it  gives  no  pleasure  to  its  owner ;  for  he  does 
not  even  behold  it  with  his  eyes.  Surely  this  is  a  sore 
evil  under  the  sun;  a  man  has  all  things,  and  enjoys 
nothing. 

We  rode  afterward  partly  over  and  partly  between 
some  of  the  finest  mountains,  I  believe,  in  Europe; 
higher  than  most,  if  not  than  any,  in  England,  and 
clothed  with  grass  to  the  very  top.  Soon  after  four  we 
came  to  Lead  Hill,  a  little  town  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  wholly  inhabited  by  miners. 

In  Glasgow  Cathedral 
Wed.  June  i. — We  rode  on  to  Glasgow;  a  mile 
short  of  which  we  met  Mr.  Gillies,  riding  out  to 
meet  us. 

In  the  evening  the  tent  (so  they  call  a  covered  pulpit) 
was  placed  in  the  yard  of  the  poor-house,  a  very  large 
and  commodious  place.  Fronting  the  pulpit  was  the 
infirmary,  with  most  of  the  patients  at  or  near  the 
windows.  Adjoining  to  this  was  the  hospital  for 
lunatics :  several  of  them  gave  deep  attention.  And 
cannot  God  give  them  also  the  spirit  of  a  sound  mind  ? 
After  sermon,  they  brought  four  children  to  baptize.  I 
was  at  the  kirk  in  the  morning  while  the  minister 
baptized  several  immediately  after  sermon.  So  I  was 
not  at  a  loss  as  to  their  manner  of  baptizing.  I  believe 
this  removed  much  prejudice. 

Fri.  3. — At  seven  the  congregation  was  increased, 
and  earnest  attention  sat  on  every  face.  In  the  after- 
noon we  walked  to  the  college,  and  saw  the  new  library, 
with  the  collection  of  pictures.  Many  of  them  are  by 
Raphael,  Kubens,  Vandyke,  and  other  eminent  hands ; 
but  they  have  not  room  to  place  them  to  advantage, 
their  whole  building  being  very  small. 


210  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1757 

Sat.  4. — I  walked  through  all  parts  of  the  old 
cathedral,  a  very  large  and  once  beautiful  structure;  I 
think,  more  lofty  than  that  at  Canterbury,  and  nearly 
the  same  length  and  breadth.  We  then  went  up  the 
main  steeple,  which  gave  us  a  fine  prospect,  both  of  the 
city  and  the  adjacent  country.  A  more  fruitful  and 
■  better  cultivated  plain  is  scarce  to  be  seen  in  England. 
Indeed  nothing  is  wanting  but  more  trade  (which  would 
naturally  bring  more  people),  to  make  a  great  part  of 
Scotland  no  way  inferior  to  the  best  counties  in  England. 

I  was  much  pleased  with  the  seriousness  of  the  people 
in  the  evening ;  but  still  I  prefer  the  English  congrega- 
tion. I  cannot  be  reconciled  to  men  sitting  at  prayer, 
or  covering  their  heads  while  they  are  singing  praise  to 
God. 

"Wesley  Sings  a  Scotch  Psalm 

Thur.  9. — To-day  "  Douglas,"  the  play  which  has 
made  so  much  noise,  was  put  into  my  hands.  I  was 
astonished  to  find  it  is  one  of  the  finest  tragedies  I  ever 
read.  What  pity,  that  a  few  lines  were  not  left  out;  and 
that  it  was  ever  acted  at  Edinburgh  ! 

Fri.  10. — I  found  myself  much  out  of  order,  till  the 
flux  stopped  at  once,  without  any  medicine.  But  being 
still  weak,  and  the  sun  shining  extremely  hot,  I  was 
afraid  I  should  not  be  able  to  go  round  by  Kelso. 
Vain  fear  !  God  took  care  for  this  also.  The  wind, 
which  had  been  full  east  for  several  days,  turned  this 
morning  full  west;  and  blew  just  in  our  face  :  and  about 
ten  the  clouds  rose,  and  kept  us  cool  till  we  came  to 
Kelso. 

At  six  William  Coward  and  I  went  to  the  market-house. 
We  stayed  some  time,  and  neither  man,  woman,  nor 
child  came  near  us.    At  length  I  began  singing  a  Scotch 


juNE  1757      CUTTING  EXPRESSIONS  241 

psalm,  and  fifteen  or  twenty  people  came  within  hearing ; 
but  with  great  circumspection,  keeping  their  distance,  as 
though  they  knew  not  what  might  follow.  But  while  I 
prayed,  their  number  increased  ;  so  that  in  a  few  minutes 
there  was  a  pretty  large  congregation.  I  suppose  the 
chief  men  of  the  town  were  there  ;  and  I  spared  neither 
rich  nor  poor.  I  almost  wondered  at  myself,  it  not 
being  usual  with  me  to  use  so  keen  and  cutting 
expressions  :  and  I  believe  many  felt  that,  for  all  their 
form,  they  were  but  heathens  still. 

Mon.  13. — I  proclaimed  the  love  of  Christ  to  sinners, 
in  the  market-place  at  Morpeth.  Thence  we  rode  to 
Placey.  The  societj-  of  colliers  here  may  be  a  pattern  to 
all  the  societies  in  England.  No  person  ever  misses  his 
band  or  class  :  they  have  no  jar  of  any  kind  among 
them  ;  but  with  one  heart  and  one  mind  "  provoke  one 
another  to  love  and  to  good  works."  After  preaching  I 
met  the  society  in  a  room  as  warm  as  any  in  Georgia  : 
this,  with  the  scorching  heat  of  the  sun,  when  we  rode 
on,  quite  exhausted  my  strength.  But  after  we  came  to 
Newcastle  I  soon  recovered,  and  preached  with  as  much 
ease  as  in  the  morning. 

Thur.  16. — In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Sunderland. 
I  then  met  the  society,  and  told  them  plain,  none  could 
stay  with  us,  unless  he  would  part  with  all  sin ;  parti- 
cularly, robbing  the  King,  selling  or  buying  run  goods; 
which  I  could  no  more  suffer  than  robbing  on  the  high- 
way. This  I  enforced  on  every  member  the  next  day. 
A  few  would  not  promise  to  refrain :  so  these  I  was 
forced  to  cut  off.  About  two  hundred  and  fifty  were  of 
a  better  mind. 

Wed.  22. — In  the  evening  and  the  following  morning 
I  preached  at  Chester-on-the-Strate.  Observing  some 
very  fine,  but  not  very  modest  pictures,  in  the  parlour 

Q 


242 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1757 


where  we  supped,  I  desired  my  companion,  when  the 
company  was  gone,  to  put  them  where  they  could  do  no 
hurt.  He  piled  them  on  an  heap  in  a  corner  of  the  room, 
and  they  have  not  appeared  since. 

**  I  Do  Indeed  Live  by  Preaching !  ** 

Thur.  July  28  (Sheffield). — I  received  a  strange  account 
from  Edward  Bennet's  eldest  daughter : 

"On  Tuesday,  the  12th  of  this  month,  I  told  my 
husband  in  the  morning,  '  I  desire  you  will  not  go  into 
the  water  to-day,  at  least,  not  into  the  deep  water,  on 
the  far  side  of  the  town  ;  for  I  dreamed  I  saw  you  there 
out  of  your  depth,  and  only  your  head  came  up  just 
above  the  water.'  He  promised  me  he  would  not,  and 
went  to  work.  Soon  after  four  in  the  afternoon,  being 
at  John  Hanson's,  his  partner's  house,  she  was  on  a 
sudden  extremely  sick,  so  that  for  some  minutes  she 
seemed  just  ready  to  expire.  Then  she  was  well  in  a 
moment.  Just  at  that  time,  John  Hanson,  who  was 
an  excellent  swimmer,  persuaded  her  husband  to  go  into 
the  water  on  the  far  side  of  the  town.  He  objected — 
the  water  was  deep,  and  he  could  not  swim  ;  and  being 
much  importuned  to  go  in,  stood  some  time  after  he 
was  undressed,  and  then  kneeling  down,  prayed  with  an 
earnest  and  loud  voice.  When  he  rose  from  his  knees, 
John,  who  was  swimming,  called  him  again,  and  tread- 
ing the  water,  said,  '  See,  it  is  only  breast-high.'  He 
stepped  in,  and  sunk.  A  man  who  was  near,  cutting 
fern,  and  had  observed  him  for  some  time,  ran  to  the 
bank,  and  saw  his  head  come  up  just  above  the  water. 
The  second  or  third  time  he  rose,  he  clasped  his  hands, 
and  cried  aloud,  '  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.'  Im- 
mediately he  sunk,  and  rose  no  more." 

One  might  naturally  inquire,  What  became  of  John 


Aug.  1757         STRANGE  DEATHS 


243 


Hanson  ?  As  soon  as  he  saw  his  partner  sink,  he 
swam  from  him  to  the  other  side,  put  on  his  clothes, 
and  went  straight  home. 

About  noon  I  preached  at  Woodseats ;  in  the  evening 
at  Sheffield.    I  do  indeed  live  by  preaching  ! 

How  quiet  is  this  country  now,  since  the  chief 
persecutors  are  no  more  seen  !  How  many  of  them 
have  been  snatched  away  in  an  hour  when  they  looked 
not  for  it !  Some  time  since,  a  woman  of  Thorpe  often 
swore  she  would  wash  her  hands  in  the  heart's  blood  of 
the  next  preacher  that  came.  But  before  the  next 
preacher  came  she  was  carried  to  her  long  home.  A 
little  before  John  Johnson  settled  at  Wentworth,  a  stout, 
healthy  man,  who  lived  there,  told  his  neighbours, 
"  After  May-day  we  shall  have  nothing  but  praying  and 
preaching  :  but  I  will  make  noise  enough  to  stop  it." 
But  before  May-day  he  was  silent  in  his  grave.  A 

servant  of  Lord  R  was  as  bitter  as  him,  and  told 

many  lies  purposely  to  make  mischief ;  but  before  this 
was  done,  his  mouth  was  stopped.  He  was  drowned 
in  one  of  the  fish-ponds. 

Wesley  at  Charterhouse 
Mon.  Aug.  8  (London). — I  took  a  walk  in  the  Charter- 
house. I  wondered  that  all  the  squares  and  buildings, 
and  especially  the.  school-boys,  looked  so  little.  But 
this  is  easily  accounted  for.  I  was  little  myself  when  I 
was  at  school,  and  measured  all  about  me  by  myself. 
Accordingly,  the  upper  boys  being  then  bigger  than 
myself,  seemed  to  me  very  big  and  tall ;  quite  contrary 
to  what  they  appear  now  when  I  am  taller  and  bigger 
than  them.  I  question  if  this  is  not  the  real  ground  of 
the  common  imagination,  that  our  forefathers,  and  in 
general  men  in  past  ages,  were  much  larger  than  now : 


244  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1757 

an  imngination  current  in  the  world  eighteen  hundred 
years  ago.  Whereas,  in  reahty,  men  have  been,  at  least 
ever  since  the  deluge,  very  nearly  the  same  as  we  find 
them  now,  both  for  stature  and  understanding. 

Fri.  Sept.  2. — I  rode  to  St.  Agnes. 

Sun.  4. — I.  T.  preached  at  five.  I  could  scarce  have 
believed  if  I  had  not  heard  it,  that  few  men  of  learning 
write  so  correctly  as  an  unlearned  tinner  speaks  extem- 
pore. Mr.  V.  preached  two  such  thundering  sermons 
at  church  as  I  have  scarce  heard  these  twenty  years. 

Mon.  5. — I  rode  on  to  Illogan ;  but  not  to  the  house 
where  I  used  to  preach :  indeed  his  wife  promised 
Mr.  P.,  before  he  died,  that  she  would  always  receive 
the  preachers;  but  she  soon  changed  her  mind.  God 
has  just  taken  her  only  son,  suddenly  killed  by  a  pit 
falling  upon  him;  and  on  Tuesday  last,  a  young, 
strong  man,  riding  to  his  burial,  dropped  off  his  horse 
stone  dead.  The  concurrence  of  these  awful  providences 
added  considerably  to  our  congregation. 

Sat.  10. — We  rode  to  the  Land's  End.  I  know  no 
natural  curiosity  like  this.  The  vast  ragged  stones  rise 
on  every  side,  when  you  are  near  the  point  of  land,  with 
green  turf  between  as  level  and  smooth  as  if  it  were  the 
effect  of  art.  And  the  rocks  which  terminate  the  land 
are  so  torn  by  the  sea,  that  they  appear  like  great  heaps 
of  ruins. 

Sun.  II. — I  preached  at  St.  Just  at  nine.  Atone, 
the  congregation  in  Morva  stood  on  a  sloping  ground, 
rank  above  rank,  as  in  a  theatre.  Many  of  them 
bewailed  their  want  of  God;  and  many  tasted  how 
gracious  he  is. 

At  five  I  preached  in  Newlyn,  to  an  huge  multitude ; 
and  one  only  seemed  to  be  offended — a  very  good  sort 
of  woman,  who  took  great  pains  to  get  away,  crying 


Sept.  1757    WESLEY  AND  MR.  MAYOR  245 


aloud,  "  Nay,  if  going  to  church  and  sacrament  will  not 
put  us  to  heaven,  I  know  not  what  will." 

Wesley  Opposed  by  Mayor  and  Minister 
Wed.  2 1 . — After  spending  an  hour  with  a  few  friends 
in  Truro,  I  rode  forward  to  Grampound,  a  mean,  incon- 
siderable, dirty  village.  However,  it  is  a  borough  town  ! 
Between  twelve  and  one  I  began  preaching  in  a  meadow, 
to  a  numerous  congregation.  While  we  were  singing,  I 
observed  a  person  in  black  on  the  far  side  of  the  meadow, 
who  said,  Come  down ;  you  have  no  business  there." 
Some  boys  who  were  on  a  wall,  taking  it  for  granted 
that  he  spoke  to  them,  got  down  in  all  haste.  I  went 
on,  and  he  walked  away.  I  afterwards  understood  that 
he  was  the  minister  and  the  Mayor  of  Grampound. 
Soon  after  two  constables  came,  and  said,  "  Sir,  the 
mayor  says  you  shall  not  preach  within  his  borough." 
I  answered,  "The  mayor  has  no  authority  to  hinder 
me.  But  it  is  a  point  not  worth  contesting."  So  I 
went  about  a  musket-shot  farther,  and  left  the  borough 
to  Mr.  Mayor's  disposal. 

Thur.  22. — I  rode  to  Mevagissey,  which  lies  on  the 
south  sea,  just  opposite  to  Port  Isaac  on  the  north. 
When  I  was  here  last,  we  had  no  place  in  the  town  :  I 
could  only  preach  about  half  a  mile  from  it.  But  things 
are  altered  now :  I  preached  just  over  the  town,  to 
almost  all  the  inhabitants ;  and  all  were  still  as  night. 
The  next  evening  a  drunken  man  made  some  noise 
behind  me.  But  after  a  few  words  were  spoken  to  him. 
he  quietly  listened  to  the  rest  of  the  discourse. 

Sat.  24 — At  half-hour  after  twelve  I  preached  once 
more,  and  took  my  leave  of  them.  All  the  time  I 
stayed,  the  wind  blew  from  the  sea,  so  that  no  boat 
could  stir  out.     By  this  means  all  the  fishermen  (who 


246  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Oct.  1757 

are  the  chief  part  of  the  town)  had  opportunity  of 
hearing. 

At  six  I  preached  at  St.  Austle,  a  neat  little  town  on 
the  side  of  a  fruitful  hill. 

Sun.  25. — At  two  I  preached  in  St.  Stephen's,  near 
a  lone  house,  on  the  side  of  a  barren  mountain;  but 
neither  the  house  nor  the  court  could  contain  the 
people;  so  we  went  into  a  meadow,  where  all  might 
kneel  (which  they  generally  do  in  Cornwall),  as  well  as 
stand  and  hear.  And  they  did  hear,  and  sing,  and 
pray,  as  for  life.  I  saw  none  careless  or  inattentive 
among  them. 

Fire  at  Kingswood  School 
Mon.  Oct.  24. — I  preached  about  noon  at  Bath,  and 
in  the  evening  at  Escot,  near  Lavington. 

Tues.  25. — In  my  return,  a  man  met  me  near 
Hannam,  and  told  me  the  School  house  at  Kingswood 
was  burned  down.  I  felt  not  one  moment's  pain,  know- 
ing that  God  does  all  things  well.  When  I  came 
thither,  I  received  a  fuller  account :  about  eight  on 
Monday  evening,  two  or  three  boys  went  into  the 
gallery,  up  two  pair  of  stairs.  One  of  them  heard  a 
strange  crackling  in  the  room  above.  Opening  the 
staircase  door,  he  was  beat  back  by  smoke,  on  which 
he  cried  out,  "  Fire  !  Murder  !  Fire  !  "  Mr.  Baynes, 
hearing  this,  ran  immediately  down,  and  brought  up  a 
pail  of  water.  But  when  he  went  into  the  room,  and 
saw  the  blaze,  he  had  not  presence  of  mind  to  go  up  to 
it,  but  threw  the  water  upon  the  floor. 

Meantime  one  of  the  boys  rung  the  bell ;  another 
called  John  Maddern  from  the  next  house,  who  ran  up, 
as  did  James  Burges  quickly  after,  and  found  the  room 
all  in  a  flame.    The  deal  partitions  took  fire  immedi- 


Nov.  1757      FIRE  AT  KINGSWOOD 


247 


ately,  which  spread  to  the  roof  of  the  house.  Plenty  of 
water  was  now  brought ;  but  they  could  not  come  nigh 
the  place  where  it  was  wanted,  the  room  being  so  filled 
with  flame  and  smoke,  that  none  could  go  into  it.  At 
last  a  long  ladder,  which  lay  in  the  garden,  was  reared 
up  against  the  wall  of  the  house.  But  it  was  then  ob- 
served, that  one  of  the  sides  of  it  was  broke  in  two,  and 
the  other  quite  rotten.  However,  John  How  (a  young 
man,  who  li\ed  next  door)  ran  up  it,  with  an  axe  in  his 
hand.  But  he  then  found  the  ladder  was  so  short,  that, 
as  he  stood  on  the  top  of  it,  he  could  but  just  lay  one 
hand  over  the  battlements. 

How  he  got  over  to  the  leads  none  can  tell :  but  he 
did  so,  and  quickly  broke  through  the  roof,  on  which  a 
vent  being  made,  the  smoke  and  flame  issued  out  as 
from  a  furnace :  those  who  were  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs 
with  water,  being  able  to  go  no  further,  then  went 
through  the  smoke  to  the  door  of  the  leads,  and  poured 
it  down  through  the  tiling.  By  this  means  the  fire  was 
quickly  quenched,  having  only  consumed  a  part  of  the 
partition,  with  a  box  of  clothes,  and  a  little  damaged  the 
roof,  and  the  floor  beneath. 

In  Norfolk  and  Suffolk 
Wed.  Nov.  23  (Norwich). — I  was  shown  Dr.  Taylor's 

new  meeting-house,  perhaps  the  most  elegant  one  in 
Europe.  It  is  eight-square,  built  of  the  finest  brick, 
with  sixteen  sash-windows  below,  as  many  above,  and 
eight  skylights  in  the  dome ;  which,  indeed,  are  purely 
ornamental.  The  inside  is  finished  in  the  highest  taste, 
and  is  as  clean  as  any  nobleman's  saloon.  The  com- 
munion-table is  fine  mahogany ;  the  very  latches  of  the 
pew-doors  are  polished  brass.  How  can  it  be  thought 
that  the  old,  coarse  Gospel  should  find  admission  here  ? 


248  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL     March  1758 

Thur.  24. — A  man  had  spoken  to  me  the  last  week, 
as  I  was  going  through  Thetford,  and  desired  me  to 
preach  at  Lakenheath,  near  Mildenhall,  in  Suffolk :  I 
now  purposed  so  to  do,  and  rode  thither  from  Thetford. 
One  Mr.  Evans  had  lately  built  a  large  and  convenient 
preaching  house  there,  at  his  own  expense.  It  was 
more  than  filled  at  six  o'clock  many  standing  at  the 
door.  At  five  in  the  morning  (as  uncommc.^.  a  thing  as 
this  was  in  those  parts)  the  house  was  nearly  filled  again 
with  earnest,  loving  simple  people.  Several  of  them 
came  in  to  Mr.  E.'s  house  afterward,  stood  a  while, 
and  then  burst  into  tears.  I  promised  to  call  upon 
them  again,  and  left  them  much  comforted. 

1758.  Wed.  Jan.  4. — I  rode  to  Kingswood,  and 
rejoiced  over  the  school,  which  is  at  length  what  I  have 
so  long  wished  it  to  be — a  blessing  to  all  that  are  therein, 
and  an  honour  to  the  whole  body  of  Methodists. 

Another  Ninety'mile  Journey 
Mon.  March  6  (London). — I  took  horse  about  seven 
o'clock.  The  wind  being  east,  I  was  pleasing  myself 
that  we  should  have  it  on  our  back ;  but  in  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  it  shifted  to  the  north-west,  and  blew  the  rain 
full  in  our  face  :  and  both  increased,  so  that  when  we 
came  to  Finchley  Common,  it  was  hard  work  to  sit  our 
horses.  The  rain  continued  all  the  way  to  Dunstable, 
where  we  exchanged  the  main  road  for  the  fields ;  which, 
having  been  just  ploughed,  were  deep  enough.  How- 
ever,  before  three  we  came  to  Sundon. 

Hence,  on  Thursday,  9,  I  rode  to  Bedford,  and  found 
the  sermon  was  not  to  be  preached  till  Friday.  Had  I 
krio.vn  this  in  time,  I  should  never  have  thought  of 
preaching  it;  having  engaged  to  be  at  Epworth  on 
Saturday. 


March  1758     A  ROUGH  JOURNEY  249 


Fri.  10. — The  congregation  at  St.  Paul's  was  very 
large  and  very  attentive.  The  judge,  immediately  after 
sermon,  sent  me  an  invitation  to  dine  with  him.  But 
having  no  time,  I  was  obliged  to  send  my  excuse,  and 
set  out  between  one  and  two.  The  north-east  wind 
was  piercing  cold,  and,  blowing  exactly  in  our  face,  soon 
brought  an  heavy  shower  of  snow,  then  of  sleet,  and 
afterwards  of  hail.  However,  we  reached  Stilton  at 
seven,  about  thirty  miles  from  Bedford. 

Rest  was  now  the  more  sweet,  because  both  our 
horses  were  lame.  However,  resolving  to  reach  Epworth 
at  the  time  appointed,  I  set  out  in  a  post-chaise  between 
four  and  five  in  the  morning  :  but  the  frost  made  it  so 
bad  driving,  that  my  companion  came  with  the  lame 
horses  into  Stamford  as  soon  as  me.  The  next  stage  I 
went  on  horseback ;  but  I  was  then  obliged  to  leave  my 
mare,  and  take  another  post-chaise.  I  came  to  Bawtry 
about  six.  Some  from  Epworth  had  come  to  meet  me, 
but  were  gone  half  an  hour  before  I  came.  I  knew  no 
chaise  could  go  the  rest  of  the  road ;  so  it  remained  only 
to  hire  horses  and  a  guide. 

We  set  out  about  seven,  but  I  soon  found  my  guide 
knew  no  more  of  the  way  than  myself.  However,  we 
got  pretty  well  to  Idlestop,  about  four  miles  from 
Bawtry,  where  we  had  just  light  to  discern  the  river  at 
our  side,  and  the  country  covered  with  water.  I  had 
heard  that  one  Richard  Wright  lived  thereabouts,  who 
knew  the  road  over  the  moor  perfectly  well.  Hearing 
one  speak  (for  we  could  not  see  him),  I  called  "  Who 
is  there  ?  "  He  answered,  "  Richard  Wright."  I  soon 
agreed  with  him,  and  he  quickly  mounted  his  horse,  and 
rode  boldly  forward.  The  north-east  wind  blow  full  in 
our  face;  and  I  heard  them  say,  "It  is  very  cold!  " 
But  neither  my  face,  nor  hands,  nor  feet  were  cold,  till 


250  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Oct.  1758 

between  nine  and  ten  we  came  to  Epworth :  after 
travelling  more  than  ninety  miles,  I  was  little  more  tired 
than  when  I  rose  in  the  morning. 

Wesley's  Advice  to  Travellers 

Tues.  Aug.  I. — The  captain  with  whom  we  were  to 
sail  was  in  great  haste  to  have  our  things  on  board ;  but 
I  would  not  send  them  while  the  wind  was  against  us. 
On  Wednesday  he  sent  message  after  message  :  so  in 
the  evening  we  went  down  to  the  ship,  near  Passage ; 
but  there  was  nothing  ready,  or  near  ready  for  sailing. 
Hence  I  learned  two  or  three  rules,  very  needful  for 
those  who  sail  between  England  and  Ireland,  i.  Never 
pay  till  you  set  sail :  2.  Go  not  on  board  till  the 
captain  goes  on  board :  3.  Send  not  your  baggage  on 
board  till  you  go  yourself. 

Thur.  17. — I  went  to  the  Bristol  cathedral  to 
^  hear  Mr.  Handel's  "Messiah."  I  doubt  if  that  congre- 
gation was  ever  so  serious  at  a  sermon  as  they  were 
during  this  performance.  In  many  parts,  especially 
several  of  the  choruses,  it  exceeded  my  expectation. 

Mon.  Oct.  16. — I  rode  to  Canterbury.  As  we 
came  into  the  city,  a  stone  flew  out  of  the  pavement  and 
struck  my  mare  upon  the  leg  with  such  violence  that 
she  dropped  down  at  once.  I  kept  my  seat,  till,  in 
struggling  to  arise,  she  fell  again,  and  rolled  over  me. 
When  she  rose  I  endeavoured  to  rise  too,  but  found 
I  had  no  use  of  my  right  leg  or  thigh.  But  an  honest 
barber  came  out,  lifted  me  up,  and  helped  me  into  his 
shop.  Feeling  myself  very  sick,  I  desired  a  glass  of  cold 
water,  which  instantly  gave  me  ease. 

Fri.  27. — I  rode  on,  through  an  extremely  pleasant 
and  fruitful  country,  to  Colchester.  I  have  seen  very 
few  such  towns  in  England.    It  lies  on  the  ridge  of  an 


Dec.  1758       "SEE  ST.  STEPHEN'S" 


251 


hill,  with  other  hills  on  each  side  which  run  parallel  with 
it,  at  a  small  distance.  The  two  main  streets,  one 
running  east  and  west,  the  other  north  and  south,  are 
quite  straight,  the  whole  length  of  the  town,  and  full  as 
broad  as  Cheapside. 

I  preached  at  four  on  St.  John's  Green,  at  the  side  ot 
a  high  old  wall  (a  place  that  seemed  to  be  made  on 
purpose),  to  an  extremely  attentive  audience ;  and  again 
at  eight  in  the  morning,  on  Saturday,  28,  and  at  four  in 
the  afternoon.  In  the  hours  between  I  took  the  oppor- 
tunity of  speaking  to  the  members  of  the  society.  In 
three  months  here  are  joined  together  an  hundred  and 
twenty  persons.  A  few  of  these  know  in  whom  they 
have  believed,  and  many  are  sensible  of  their  wants. 

Wesley  at  Norwich  and  Colchester 
Sun.  Nov.  5  (Norwich). — We  went  to  St.  Peter's 
church,  the  Lord's  supper  being  administered  there.  I 
scarce  ever  remember  to  have  seen  a  more  beautiful 
parish  church :  the  more  so,  because  its  beauty  results 
not  from  foreign  ornaments,  but  from  the  very  form  and 
structure  of  it.  It  is  very  large,  and  of  an  uncommon 
height,  and  the  sides  are  almost  all  window ;  so  that  it 
has  an  awful  and  venerable  look,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
surprisingly  cheerful. 

Mon.  Dec.  4 — I  was  desired  to  step  into  the 
little  church  behind  the  Mansion  House,  commonly 
called  St.  Stephen's,  Walbrook.  It  is  nothing  grand; 
but  neat  and  elegant  beyond  expression.  So  that  I  do 
not  wonder  at  the  speech  of  the  famous  Italian  architect, 
who  met  Lord  Burlington  in  Italy  :  »'  My  Lord,  go  back 
and  see  St.  Stephen's  in  London.  We  have  not  so  fine 
a  piece  of  architecture  in  Rome." 

Fri.   29. — To-day  I   walked   all  over  the  famous 


252  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1759 

castle  (Colchester),  perhaps  the  most  ancient  building  in 
England.  A  considerable  part  of  it  is,  without  question, 
ourteen  or  fifteen  hundred  years  old.  It  was  mostly 
built  with  Roman  bricks,  each  of  which  is  about  two 
inches  thick,  seven  broad,  and  thirteen  or  fourteen  long. 
Seat  of  ancient  kings,  British  and  Roman,  once  dreaded 
far  and  near  !  But  what  are  they  now  ?  Is  not  "  a 
living  dog  better  than  a  dead  lion  ?  "  And  what  is  it 
wherein  they  prided  themselves,  as  do  the  present  great 
ones  of  the  earth? 

A  little  pomp,  a  little  sway, 
A  sunbeam  in  a  winter's  day. 
Is  all  the  great  and  mighty  have 
Between  the  cradle  and  the  gravel 

1759.  Sun.  May  6. — I  received  much  comfort  at 
the  old  church  (Liverpool)  in  the  morning,  and  at  St. 
Thomas's  in  the  afternoon.  It  was  as  if  both  the 
sermons  had  been  made  for  me.  I  pity  those  who  can 
find  no  good  at  church.  But  how  should  they,  if 
prejudice  come  between,  an  effectual  bar  to  the  grace  of 
God? 

The  Sands  of  Ravenglass 
Sat.  12. — Setting  out  early  we  came  to  Bottle 
about  twenty-four  measured  miles  from  Fluckborough, 
soon  after  eight,  having  crossed  the  Millam  Sand,  with- 
out either  guide  or  difficulty.  Here  we  were  informed 
that  we  could  not  pass  at  Ravenglass  before  one  or  two 
o'clock;  whereas,  had  we  gone  on  (as  we  afterwards 
found),  we  might  have  passed  immediately.  About 
eleven  we  were  directed  to  a  ford,  near  Manchester  Hall, 
which  they  said  we  might  cross  at  noon.  When  we 
came  thither,  they  told  us  we  could  not  cross ;  so  we 
sat  still  till  about  one :  we  then  found  we  could  have 


May  1759       DRUGS  FOR  TROUBLE  253 

crossed  at  noon.  However,  we  reached  Whitehaven 
before  night.  But  I  have  taken  my  leave  of  the  sand 
road.  I  believe  it  is  ten  measured  miles  shorter  than 
the  other ;  but  there  are  four  sands  to  pass,  so  far  from 
each  other  that  it  is  scarce  possible  to  pass  them  all  in 
a  day :  especially  as  you  have  all  the  way  to  do  with  a 
generation  of  liars,  who  detain  all  strangers  as  long  as 
they  can,  either  for  their  own  gain  or  their  neighbours'. 
I  can  advise  no  stranger  to  go  this  way;  he  may 
go  round  by  Kendal  and  Keswick,  often  in  less  time, 
always  with  less  expense,  and  far  less  trial  of  his 
patience. 

Useless  Doctors 

Reflecting  to-day  on  the  case  of  a  poor  woman  who 
had  continual  pain  in  her  stomach,  I  could  not  but 
re  nark  the  inexcusable  negligence  of  most  physicians  in 
cases  of  this  nature.  They  prescribe  drug  upon  drug, 
without  knowing  a  jot  of  the  matter  concerning  the  root 
of  the  disorder.  And  without  knowing  this,  they  cannot 
cure,  though  they  can  murder,  the  patient.  Whence 
came  this  woman's  pain  ?  (which  she  would  never  have 
told,  had  she  never  been  questioned  about  it) — from 
fretting  for  the  death  of  her  son.  And  what  availed 
medicines,  while  that  fretting  continued  ?  Why  then  do 
not  all  physicians  consider  how  far  bodily  disorders  are 
caused  or  influenced  by  the  mind  ;  and  in  those  cases, 
which  are  utterly  out  of  their  sphere,  call  in  the  assis- 
tance of  a  minister;  as  ministers,  when  they  find  the 
mind  disordered  by  the  body,  call  in  the  assistance  of  a 
physician?  But  why  are  these  cases  out  of  their  sphere? 
Because  they  know  not  God.  It  follows,  no  man  can 
oe  a  thorough  physician  without  being  an  experienced 
Christian. 


254  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1759 

Thur.  17. — I  inquired  into  a  signal  instance  of 
Providence.  When  a  coal-pit  runs  far  under  the  ground 
it  is  customary  here  to  build  a  partition  wall,  nearly  from 
the  shaft  to  within  three  or  four  yards  of  the  end,  in 
order  to  make  the  air  circulate,  which  then  moves  down 
one  side  of  the  wall,  turns  at  the  end,  and  then  moves 
briskly  up  on  the  other  side.  In  a  pit  two  miles  from 
the  town,  which  ran  full  four  hundred  yards  under  the 
ground,  and  had  been  long  neglected,  several  parts  of 
this  wall  were  fallen  down.  Four  men  were  sent  down 
to  repair  it.  They  were  about  three  hundred  yards 
from  the  shaft,  when  the  foul  air  took  fire.  In  a 
moment  it  tore  down  the  wall  from  end  to  end ;  and, 
burning  on  till  it  came  to  the  shaft,  it  then  burst  and 
went  off  like  a  large  cannon. 

Fire  in  a  Coal'pit 
The  men  instantly  fell  on  their  faces,  or  they  would 
have  been  burned  to  death  in  a  few  moments.  One  of 
them,  who  once  knew  the  love  of  God  (Andrew  English), 
began  crying  aloud  for  mercy.  But  in  a  very  short  time 
his  breath  was  stopped.  The  other  three  crept  on  their 
hands  and  knees,  till  two  got  to  the  shaft  and  were 
drawn  up ;  but  one  of  them  died  in  a  few  minutes. 
John  M'Combe  was  drawn  up  next,  burned  from  head 
to  foot,  but  rejoicing  and  praising  God.  They  then 
went  down  for  Andrew,  whom  they  found  senseless  : 
the  very  circumstance  which  saved  his  life.  For,  losing 
his  senses,  he  lay  flat  on  the  ground,  and  the  greatest 
part  of  the  fire  went  over  him ;  whereas,  had  he  gone 
forward  on  his  hands  and  knees,  he  would  undoubtedly 
have  been  burned  to  death.  But  life  or  death  was 
welcome;  for  God  had  restored  the  light  of  his 
countenance. 


June  1759      THE  FOLLY  OF  TOMBS 


255 


Mon.  21. — I  preached  at  ten  in  the  market-place  at 
Wigton,  and  came  to  Solway  Frith,  just  as  the  water  was 
fordable.  At  some  times  it  is  so  three  hours  in  twelve ; 
at  other  times,  barely  one. 

After  making  a  short  bait  at  Rothwell,  we  came  to 
Dumfries  before  six  o'clock.  Having  time  to  spare,  we 
took  a  walk  in  the  churchyard,  one  of  the  pleasantest 
places  I  ever  saw.  A  single  tomb  I  observed  there, 
which  was  about  an  hundred  and  thirty  years  old ;  but 
the  inscription  was  very  hardly  legible.  So  soon  do 
even  our  sepulchres  die  !  Strange,  that  men  should  be 
so  careful  about  them !  But  are  not  many  self-con- 
demned therein  ?  They  see  the  folly,  while  they  run 
into  it.  So  poor  Mr.  Prior,  speaking  of  his  own 
tomb,  has  those  melancholy  words,  "  For  this  last  piece 
of  human  vanity,  I  bequeath  five  hundred  pounds." 

Tues.  22. — We  rode  through  a  pleasant  country  to 
Thorny  Hill,  near  which  is  the  grand  seat  of  the  Duke  of 
Queensborough.  How  little  did  the  late  duke  imagine 
that  his  son  would  plough  up  his  park,  and  let  his  house 
run  to  ruin  1  But  let  it  go  !  In  a  little  time  the  earth 
itself,  and  all  the  works  of  it,  shall  be  burned  up. 

Hence  we  rode  through,  and  over,  huge  mountains, 
green  to  the  very  top,  to  Lead  Hills  ;  a  village  containing 
five  hundred  families,  who  have  had  no  minister  for 
these  four  years.  So  in  Scotland,  the  poor  have  not 
the  Gospel  preached  I  Who  shall  answer  for  the  blood 
of  these  men  ? 

Newcastle  as  a  Summer  Resort 
Mon.  June  4. — After  preaching  (at  Alnwick),  I  rode 
on  to  Newcastle.    Certainly  if  I  did  not  believe  there 
■was  another  world,  I  should  spend  all  my  summers  here  ; 
as  I  know  no  place  in  Great  Britain  comparable  to  it  for 


256  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1759 

pleasantness.  But  I  seek  another  country,  and  there- 
fore am  content  to  be  a  wanderer  upon  the  earth. 

Thur.  21. — I  preached  at  Nafferton  at  one.  As  I 
was  riding  thence,  one  stopped  me  on  the  road,  and 
said,  "Sir,  do  you  not  remember,  when  you  was  at 
Prudhoe,  two  years  since,  you  breakfasted  at  Thomas 
Newton's  ?  I  am  his  sister.  You  looked  upon  me  as 
you  was  going  out,  and  said,  '  Be  in  earnest.'  I  knew 
not  then  what  earnestness  meant,  nor  had  any  thought 
about  it ;  but  the  words  sunk  into  my  heart,  so  that  I 
could  never  rest  any  more,  till  I  sought  and  found  Christ." 

Wesley  Likes  a  Soft  Cttsliion 

Fri.  22. — I  rode  to  S  k,  and  preached  to  my  old 

congregation  of  colliers,  on,  "  Why  will  ye  die,  O  house 

of  Israel  ? "    After  preaching,  a  servant  of  Mr.  

came  and  said,  "  Sir,  my  master  discharges  you  from 
preaching  any  more  on  his  ground ;  not  out  of  any 
disrespect  to  you,  but  he  will  stand  by  the  Church." 
"  Simple  master  Shallow  !"  as  Shakespeare  has  it :  wise 
wise  master  rector,  his  counsellor  ! 

Sat.  23. — I  spoke  to  each  of  the  society  in  Sunder- 
land. Most  of  the  robbers,  commonly  called  smugglers, 
have  left  us  ;  but  more  than  twice  the  number  of  honest 
people  are  already  come  in  their  place  ;  and  if  none  had 
come,  yet  should  I  not  dare  to  keep  those  who  steal 
hitlier  from  the  King  or  subject. 

On  Monday  and  Tuesday  evening  I  preached  abroad, 
near  the  Keelmen's  Hospital,  to  twice  the  people  we 
should  have  had  at  the  house.  What  marvel  the  devil 
j^does  not  love  field  preaching  ?  Neither  do  I  :  I  love  a 
commodious  room,  a  soft  cushion,  an  handsome  pulpit. 
But  where  is  my  zeal,  if  I  do  not  trample  all  these  under 
foot,  in  order  to  save  one  more  soul  ? 


Aug.  1759        CONFUSING  A  WAG  257 

Wed.  July  4  (Hartlepool). — Mr.  Jones  preached  at  five, 
I  at  eight.  Toward  the  close  of  the  sermon,  a  queer, 
dirty,  clumsy  man,  I  suppose  a  country  wit,  took  a 
deal  of  pains  to  disturb  the  congregation.  When  I  had 
done,  fearing  he  might  hurt  those  who  were  gathered 
about  him,  I  desired  two  or  three  of  our  brethren  to  go 
to  him,  one  after  the  other,  and  not  say  qiuch  them- 
selves, but  let  him  talk  till  he  was  weary.  They  did  so, 
but  without  effect,  as  his  fund  of  ribaldry  seemed  inex- 
haustible. W.A.  then  tried  another  way.  He  got  into 
the  circle  close  to  him,  and  listening  a  while  said, 
"  That  is  pretty  ;  pray  say  it  over  again."  «'  What !  are 
you  deaf?"  "No;  but  for  the  entertainment  of  the 
people.  Come ;  we  are  all  attention."  After  repeating 
this  twice  or  thrice,  the  wag  could  not  stand  it  j  but, 
with  two  or  three  curses,  walked  clear  off. 

Defeating  the  Press-gang 

In  the  evening  I  began  near  Stockton  market-place  as 
usual.  I  had  hardly  finished  the  hymn,  when  I 
observed  the  people  in  great  confusion,  which  was  oc- 
casioned by  a  heutenant  of  a  man-of-war,  who  had 
chosen  that  time  to  bring  his  press-gang,  and  ordered 
them  to  take  Joseph  Jones  and  William  Alwood. 
Joseph  Jones  telling  him,  "  Sir,  I  belong  to  Mr. 
Wesley."  After  a  few  words,  he  let  him  go;  as  he  did 
likewise  William  Alwood,  after  a  few  hours,  understand- 
ing he  was  a  licensed  preacher.  He  likewise  seized 
upon  a  young  man  of  the  town ;  but  the  women  rescued 
nim  by  main  strength.  They  nlso  Ijroke  the  lieutenant's 
head,  and  so  stoned  both  him  and  his  men,  that  they 
ran  away  with  all  speed. 

Fri.  Aug.  3. — I  preached  at  Gainsborough,  in  Sir 
Nevil  Hickman's  great  hall.    It  is  full  as  large  as  the 

R 


^Bi  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1759 

Weaver's  Hall,  in  Bristol.  At  two  it  was  filled  with  a 
rude,  wild  multitude  (a  few  of  a  better  spirit  excepted). 
Yet  all  but  two  or  three  gentlemen  were  attentive,  while 
I  enforced  ourv  Lord's  words,  "  What  shall  it  profit  a 
man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
soul  ?  "  I  was  walking  back  through  a  gaping,  staring 
crowd,  when  Sir  Nevil  came  and  thanked  me  for  my 
sermon,  to  the  no  small  amazement  of  his  neighbours, 
who  shrunk  back  as  if  they  had  seen  a  ghost. 

Extraordinary  Trances 
Mon.  6  (Everton). — I  talked  largely  with  Ann  Thorn, 
and  two  others,  who  had  been  several  times  in  trances. 
What  they  all  agreed  in  was,  i.  That  when  they  went 
away,  as  they  termed  it,  it  was  always  at  the  time  they 
were  fullest  of  the  love  of  God :  2.  That  it  came  upon 
them  in  a  moment,  without  any  previous  notice,  and 
took  away  all  their  senses  and  strength  :  3.  That  there 
were  some  exceptions  :  but  in  general,  from  that 
moment,  they  were  in  another  world,  knowing  nothing 
of  what  was  done  or  said,  by  all  that  were  round  about 
them. 

About  five  in  the  afternoon  I  heard  them  singing 
hymns.  Soon  after,  Mr.  B.  came  up,  and  told  me,  Alice 
Miller  (fifteen  years  old)  was  fallen  into  a  trance.  I 
went  down  immediately,  and  found  her  sitting  on  a 
stool,  and  leaning  against  the  wall,  with  her  eyes  open 
and  fixed  upward.  I  made  a  motion  as  if  going  to 
strike,  but  they  continued  immovable.  Her  face  showed 
an  unspeakable  mixture  of  reverence  and  love,  while 
silent  tears-  stole  down  her  cheeks.  Her  lips  were  a 
little  open,  and  sometimes  moved ;  but  not  enough  to 
cause  any  sound. 

I  do  not  know  whether  I  ever  saw  an  human  face 


Aug.  1759       REMARKABLE  TRANCES  259 

look  so  beautiful ;  sometimes  it  was  covered  with  a 
smile,  as  from  joy,  mixing  with  love  and  reverence;  but 
the  tears  fell  still  though  not  so  fast.  Her  pulse  was 
quite  regular.  In  about  half  an  hour  I  observed  her 
countenance  change  into  the  form  of  fear,  pity,  and 
distress ;  then  she  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears,  and  cried 
out,  "  Dear  Lord  ;  they  will  be  damned  !  They  will  all 
be  damned ! "  But  in  about  five  minutes  her  smiles 
returned,  and  only  love  and  joy  appeared  in  her  face. 

About  half  an  hour  after  six,  I  observed  distress 
take  place  again ;  and  soon  after  she  wept  bitterly 
and  cried  out,  "  Dear  Lord,  they  will  go  to  hell  ! 
The  world  will  go  to  hell ! "  Soon  after,  she  said, 
"  Cry  aloud !  Spare  not !  "  And  in  a  few  moments 
her  look  was  composed  again,  and  spoke  a  mixture 
of  reverence,  joy,  and  love.  Then  she  said  aloud, 
"  Give  God  the  glory."  About  seven  her  senses  re- 
turned. I  asked,  "  Where  have  you  been  ?  " — "  I  have 
been  with  my  Saviour."  '*  In  heaven,  or  on  earth  ?" — 
"  I  cannot  tell ;  but  I  was  in  glory."  "  Why  then  did 
you  cry?" — "  Not  for  myself,  but  for  the  world  ;  for  I 
saw  they  were  on  the  brink  of  hell."  "  Whom  did  you 
desire  to  give  the  glory  to  God  ?  " — "  Ministers  that 
cry  aloud  to  the  world :  else  they  will  be  proud ;  and 
then  God  will  leave  them,  and  they  will  lose  their  own 
souls." 

Wesley  Rides  2400  Miles  in  Seven  Months 
Tues.  7. — After  preaching  at  four  (because  of  the 

harvest)  I  took  horse,  and  rode  easily  to .  London. 

Indeed  I  wanted  a  little  rest;  having  rode,  in  seven 

months,  about  four-and-twenty  hundred  miles. 

Mon.  13. — I  took  a  little  ride  to  Croydon,  one  of 

the  seats  of  the  Archbishops  of  Canterbury.    Was  it 


260  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1759 

one  of  these  who  ordered,  many  years  ago  (for  the 
characters  are  of  old  standing),  that  dreadful  inscrip- 
tion to  be  placed  just  over  the  communion-table  ? 
"  And  now,  yes  priests,  this  commandment  is  for  you. 
If  ye  will  not  hear,  and  if  ye  will  not  lay  it  to  heart, 
to  give  glory  unto  my  name,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will 
even  send  a  curse  among  you,  and  I  will  curse  your 
blessings  :  yea,  I  have  cursed  them  already,  because 
ye  do  not  lay  it  to  heart.  Behold,  I  will  corrupt 
your  seed,  and  spread  dung  upon  your  faces,  even  the 
dung  of  your  solemn  feasts,  and  one  shall  take  you  away 
with  it." 

The  Archbishop's  palace  is  an  ancient,  venerable  pile, 
and  the  gardens  are  extremely  pleasant.  The  late 
Archbishop  had  improved  them  at  a  large  expense ;  but 
continual  illness  prevented  his  enjoying  them  ;  till,  after 
four  years'  constant  pain,  he  was  called  away — one  may 
hope  to  the  garden  of  God. 

I  dined  at  Mr.  B.'s,  in  Epsom,  whose  house  and 
gardens  lie  in  what  was  once  a  chalk-pit.  It  is  the 
most  elegant  spot  I  ever  saw  with  my  eyes ;  every 
thing  within  doors  and  without,  being  finished  in  the 
most  exquisite  taste.  Surely  nothing  on  earth  can  be 
more  delightful.  O  what  wiU  the  possessor  feel,  when 
he  cries  out. 

Must  I  then  leave  thee,  paradise  ?  then  leave 
These  happy  shades,  and  mansions  fit  for  gods? 

Thur.  30. — I  preached  at  the  Tabernacle  in  Nor- 
wich, to  a  large,  rude,  noisy  congregation.  I  took 
knowledge  what  manner  of  teachers  they  had  been 
accustomed  to,  and  determined  to  mend  them  or  end 
them.  Accordingly,  the  next  evening,  after  sermon,  I 
reminded  them  of  two  things  :  the  one,  that  it  was  not 
decent  to  begin  talking  aloud  as  soon  as  service  was 


Sept.  1759        WESLEY'S  SEVERITY  26l 

ended ;  and  hurrying  to  and  fro,  as  in  a  bear-garden. 
The  other,  that  it  was  a  bad  custom  to  gather  into  knots 
just  after  sermon,  and  turn  a  place  of  worship  into  a 
coffee-house.  I  therefore  desired,  that  none  would  talk 
under  that  roof,  but  go  quietly  and  silently  away.  And 
on  Sunday,  September  2,  I  had  the  pleasure  to  observe, 
that  all  went  as  quietly  away,  as  if  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  it  for  many  years. 

Sun.  Sep.  9. — I  met  the  society  at  seven ;  and  told 
them  in  plain  terms,  that  they  were  the  most  ignorant, 
self-conceited,  self-willed,  fickle,  untractable,  disorderly, 
disjointed  society,  that  I  knew  in  the  three  kingdoms. 
And  God  applied  it  to  their  hearts :  so  that  many  were 
profited ;  but  I  do  not  find,  that  one  was  offended. 

Field'preaching  Expedient 
Fri.  14. — I  returned  to  London.  Saturday,  15. 
Having  left  orders  for  the  immediate  repairing  of  West 
Street  chapel,  I  went  to  see  what  they  had  done,  and 
saw  cause  to  praise  God  for  this  also.  The  main 
timbers  were  so  rotten,  that  in  many  places  one  might 
thrust  his  fingers  into  them.  So  that  probably,  had  we 
delayed  till  spring,  the  whole  building  must  have  fallen 
to  the  ground. 

Mon.  17. — I  went  to  Canterbury.  Two  hundred 
soldiers,  I  suppose,  and  a  whole  row  of  officers,  attended 
in  the  evening.  Their  number  was  increased  the  next 
evening,  and  all  behaved  as  men  fearing  God.  Wednes- 
day, 19,  I  preached  at  Dover,  in  the  new  room,  which  is 
just  finished.  Here  also  the  hearers  increase,  some  of 
whom  are  convinced  and  others  comforted  daily. 
Thursday,  20.  I  strongly  applied  at  Canterbury  to  the 
soldiers  in  particular,  "  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life, 
and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God  hath  not  life." 


262  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Oct.  1759 

The  next  day,  in  my  return  to  London,  I  read  Mr. 
Huygens's  "  Conjectures  on  the  Planetary  World." 
He  surprised  me.  I  think  he  clearly  proves  that  the 
moon  is  not  habitable :  that  there  are  neither 

Rivers  nor  mountains  ou  her  spotty  globe: 

that  there  is  no  sea,  no  water  on  her  surface,  nor  any 
atmosphere :  and  hence  he  very  rationally  infers,  that 
"  neither  are  any  of  the  secondary  planets  inhabited." 
And  who  can  prove  that  the  primary  are  ?  I  know  the 
earth  is.    Of  the  rest  I  know  nothing. 

Sun.  23. — A  vast  majority  of  the  immense  congrega- 
tion in  Moorfields  were  deeply  serious.  One  such  hour 
might  convince  any  impartial  man  of  the  expediency  of 
field-preaching.  What  building,  except  St.  Paul's 
church,  would  contain  such  a  congregation.  And  if  it 
would,  what  human  voice  could  have  reached  them 
there?  By  repeated  observations  I  find  I  can  command 
thrice  the  number  in  the  open  air,  that  I  can  under  a 
roof.  And  who  can  say  the  time  for  field-preaching  is 
over,  while,  1.  Greater  numbers  than  ever  attend  :  2. 
The  converting,  as  well  as  convincing,  power  of  God  is 
eminently  present  with  them  ? 

"Wesley  Clothes  French  Prisoners 
Mon.  Oct.  I  (Bristol). — All  my  leisure  time,  during 
my  stay  at  Bristol,  I  employed  in  finishing  the  fourth 
"Volume  of  "Discourses";  probably  the  last  which  I  shall 
publish. 

Mon.  15. — I  walked  up  to  Knowle,  a  mile  from 
Bristol,  to  see  the  French  prisoners.  About  eleven 
Imndred  ot  them,  we  are  informed,  were  confined  in  that 
little  place,  without  anything  to  lie  on  but  a  little  dirty 
straw,  or  anything  to  cover  them  but  a  few  foul  thin 


Nov.  1759    PREACHING  OVER  A  STY  £63 

rags,  either  by  day  or  night,  so  that  they  died  like  rotten 
sheep.  I  was  much  affected,  and  preached  in  the  even- 
ing on  (Exodus  xxiii.  9),  "  Thou  shalt  not  oppress  a 
stranger :  for  ye  know  the  heart  of  a  stranger,  seeing  ye 
were  strangers  in  the  land  of  Egypt,"  Eighteen  pounds 
were  contributed  immediately,  which  were  made  up  four- 
and-twenty  the  next  day.  With  this  we  bought  linen 
and  woollen  cloth,  which  were  made  up  into  shirts, 
waistcoats,  and  breeches.  Some  dozen  of  stockings 
were  added ;  all  which  were  carefully  distributed,  where 
there  was  the  greatest  want.  Presently  after,  the 
Corporation  of  Bristol  sent  a  large  quantity  of  mat^t^sses 
and  blankets.  And  it  was  not  long  beforeycontributions 
were  set  on  foot  at  London,  and  i^i^j^rious  parts  of  the 
kingdom;  so  that  I  believe \friTO  this  time  they  were 
pretty  well  provi^^  ii^ith'all  the  necessaries  of  life. 

The  Truth  about  Trances 
Sat.   Nov.    17.    (London). — I     spent    an  hour 

agreeably  and  profitably  with  Lady  G          H  ,  and 

Sir  C          H — — .    It  is  well  a  few  of  the  rich  and 

noble  are  called.  O  that  God  would  increase  their 
number !  But  I  should  rejoice  (were  it  the  will  of  God), 
if  it  were  done  by  the  ministry  of  others.  If  I  might 
choose,  I  should  still  (as  I  have  done  hitherto)  preach 
the  Gospel  to  the  poor. 

Fri.  23. — The  roads  were  so  extremely  slippery,  it 
was  with  much  difficulty  we  reached  Bedford.  We  had  a 
pretty  large  congregation ;  but  the  stench  from  the  swine 
under  the  room  was  scarce  supportable.  Was  ever  a 
preaching-place  over  a  hog-sty  before  ?  Surely  they  love 
the  Gospel,  who  come  to  hear  it  in  such  a  place. 

Sun.  25. — In  the  afternoon  God  was  eminently 
present  with  us,  though  rather  to  comfort  than  convince. 


SCl  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Nov.  1759 

But  I  observed  a  remarkable  difference,  since  I  was  here 
(Everton)  before,  as  to  the  manner  of  the  work.  None 
now  were  in  trances,  none  cried  out,  none  fell  down  or 
were  convulsed:  only  some  trembled  exceedingly,  a  low 
murmur  was  heard,  and  many  were  refreshed  with  the 
multitude  of  peace. 

The  danger  was,  to  regard  extraordinary  circumstances 
too  much,  such  as  outcries,  convulsions,  visions,  trances; 
as  if  these  were  essential  to  the  inward  work,  so  that  it 
could  not  go  on  without  them.  Perhaps  the  danger  is, 
to  regard  them  too  little  ;  to  condemn  them  altogether ; 
to  imagine  they  had  nothing  of  God  in  them,  and  were 
a  hindrance  to  his  work.  Whereas  the  truth  is,  i.  God 
suddenly  and  strongly  convinced  many  that  they  were 
lost  sinners;  the  natural  consequence  whereof  were 
sudden  outcries  and  strong  bodily  convulsions :  2.  To 
strengthen  and  encourage  them  that  believed,  and  to 
make  his  work  more  apparent,  he  favoured  several  of 
them  with  divine  dreams,  others  with  trances  and 
visions  :  3.  In  some  of  these  instances,  after  a  time, 
nature  mixed  with  grace :  4.  Satan  likewise  mimicked 
this  work  of  God  in  order  to  discredit  the  whole  work : 
and  yet  it  is  not  wise  to  give  up  this  part  any  more  than 
to  give  up  the  whole.  At  first,  it  was,  doubtless,  wholly 
from  God.  It  is  partly  so  at  this  day;  and  he  will 
enable  us  to  discern  how  far,  in  every  case,  the  work  is 
pure,  and  where  it  mixes  or  degenerates. 

Wed.  28. — I  returned  to  London;  and  on 
Thursday,  29,  the  day  appointed  for  the  general  thanks- 
giving, I  preached  again  in  the  chapel  near  the  Seven 
Dials,  both  morning  and  afternoon.  I  believed  the 
oldest  man  in  England  has  not  seen  a  thanksgiving-day 
so  observed  before.  It  had  the  solemnity  of  the 
General  Fast.    All  the  shops  were  shut  up :  the  people 


April  1760   IN  THE  BRITISH  MUSEUM  265 

in  the  streets  appeared,  one  and  all,  with  an  air  of 
seriousness :  the  prayers,  lessons,  and  whole  public 
service,  w^ere  admirably  suited  to  the  occasion.  The 
prayer  for  our  enemies,  in  particular,  was  extremely 
striking :  perhaps  it  is  the  first  instance  of  the  kind  in 
Europe.  There  was  no  noise,  hurry,  bonfires,  fireworks 
in  the  evening ;  and  no  public  diversions.  This  is 
indeed  a  Christian  holiday,  a  "rejoicing  unto  the  Lord." 
The  next  day  came  the  news  that  Sir  Edward  Hawke 
had  dispersed  the  French  fleet. 

Sun.  Dec.  9. — I  had,  for  the  first  time,  a  love- 
feast  for  the  whole  society.  Wednesday,  12.  I  began 
reading  over  the  Greek  Testament  and  the  notes,  with 
my  brother  and  several  others ;  carefully  comparing  the 
translation  with  the  original,  and  correcting  or  enlarging 
the  notes  as  we  saw  occasion. 

The  same  day  I  spent  part  of  the  afternoon  in  the 
British  Museum.  There  is  a  large  library,  a  great 
number  of  curious  manuscripts,  many  uncommon  monu- 
ments of  antiquity,  and  the  whole  collection  of  shells, 
butterflies,  beetles,  grasshoppers,  &c.,  which  the  inde- 
fatigable Sir  Hans  Sloane,  with  such  vast  expense  and 
labour,  procured  in  a  life  of  fourscore  years. 

"Wesley  and  the  Irish  Question 
1760.  Wed.  Jan.  16. — One  came  to  me,  as  she  said, 
■with  a  message  from  the  Lord,  to  tell  me,  I  was  laying 
up  treasures  on  earth,  taking  my  ease,  and  minding  only 
my  eating  and  drinking.  I  told  her,  God  knew  me 
better ;  and  if  he  had  sent  her,  he  would  have  sent  her 
with  a  more  pro^  er  message. 

Mon.  April  21. — In  riding  to  Rosmead,  I  read  Sir/ 
John  Davis's  "  Historical  Relations  concerning  Ireland." 
None  who  reads  these  can  wonder,  that,  fruitful  as  it  is, 


266  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1760 

it  was  always  so  thinly  inhabited ;  for  he  makes  it  plain, 
I.  That  murder  was  never  capital  among  the  native 
Irish ;  the  murderer  only  paid  a  small  fine  to  the  Chief 
of  his  sept.  2.  When  the  English  settled  here,  still  the 
Irish  had  no  benefit  of  the  English  laws.  They  could 
not  so  much  as  sue  an  Englishman.  So  the  English 
beat,  plundered,  yea,  murdered  them,  at  pleasure. 
Hence,  3.  Arose  continual  wars  between  them,  for 
three  hundred  and  fifty  years  together  ;  and  hereby  both 
the  English  and  Irish  natives  were  kept  few,  as  well  as 
poor. 

4.  When  they  were  multiplied  during  a  peace  of 
forty  years,  from  1600  to  1641,  the  general  massacre, 
with  the  ensuing  war,  again  thinned  their  numbers; 
not  so  few  as  a  million  of  men,  women,  and  children, 
being  destroyed  in  four  years'  time.  5.  Great  numbers 
have  ever  since,  year  by  year,  left  the  land  merely  for 
want  of  employment.  6.  The  gentry  are  continually 
driving  away  hundreds,  yea,  thousands,  of  them  that 
remain,  by  throwing  such  quantities  of  arable  land  into 
pasture,  which  leaves  them  neither  business  nor  food. 
This  it  is  that  now  dispeoples  many  parts  of  Ireland,  of 
Connaught  in  particular,  which,  it  is  supposed,  has 
scarce  half  the  inhabitants  at  this  day  which  it  had 
fourscore  years  ago. 

Attack  on  "Wesley's  Hat 

Tues.  June  10. — I  rode  to  Drumersnave,  a  village 
delightfully  situated. 

At  noon  William  Ley,  James  Glasbrook,  and  I  rode 
to  Carrick-upon-Shannon.  In  less  than  an  hour,  an 
Esquire  and  Justice  of  the  peace  came  down  with  a 
drum,  and  what  mob  he  could  gather.  I  went  into  the 
garden  with  the  congregation,  while  he  was  making  a 


Sept.  1760    A  FURIOUS  MAGISTRATE  267 

speech  to  his  followers  in  the  street.  He  then  attacked 
William  Ley  (who  stood  at  the  door),  being  armed  with 
an  halbert  and  long  sword;  and  ran  at  him  with 
the  halbert,  but  missing  his  thrust,  he  then  struck  at  him, 
and  broke  it  short  upon  his  wrist.  Having  made  his 
way  through  the  house  to  the  other  door,  he  was  at  a 
full  stop.  James  Glasbrook  held  it  fast  on  the  other 
side. 

While  he  was  endeavouring  to  force  it  open,  one  told 
him  I  was  preaching  in  the  garden.  On  this  he  quitted 
the  door  in  haste,  ran  round  the  house,  and  with  part 
of  his  retinue,  climbed  over  the  wall  into  the  garden ; 
and  with  a  whole  volley  of  oaths  and  curses  declared, 
"You  shall  not  preach  here  to-day."  I  told  him,  "  Sir, 
I  do  not  intend  it ;  for  I  have  preached  already."  This 
made  him  ready  to  tear  the  ground.  Finding  he  was 
not  to  be  reasoned  with,  I  went  into  the  house.  Soon 
after  he  revenged  himself  on  James  Glasbook  (by  breaking 
the  truncheon  of  his  halbert  on  his  arm),  and  on  my  hat, 
which  he  beat  and  kicked  most  vahantly ;  but  a  gentle- 
man rescued  it  out  of  his  hands,  and  we  rode  quietly 
out  of  the  town. 

Wed.  Sept.  10. — When  I  came  to  St.  Ives,  I  was 
determined  to  preach  abroad ;  but  the  wind  was  so 
high,  I  could  not  stand  where  I  had  intended.  But  we 
found  a  little  inclosure  near  it,  one  end  of  which  was 
native  rock,  rising  ten  or  twelve  feet  perpendicular,  from 
which  the  ground  fell  with  an  easy  descent.  A  jetting 
out  of  the  rock,  about  four  feet  from  the  ground,  gave 
me  a  very  convenient  pulpit.  Here  well  nigh  the  whole 
town,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  assembled  together. 
Nor  was  there  a  word  to  be  heard,  or  a  smile  seen,  from 
one  end  of  the  congregation  to  the  other.  It  was  just 
the  same  the  three  following  evenings.    Indeed  I  was 


268  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1760 

afraid  on  Saturday,  that  the  roaring  of  the  sea,  raised 
by  the  north  wind,  would  have  prevented  their  hearing. 
But  God  gave  me  so  clear  and  strong  a  voice,  that  I 
believe  scarce  one  word  was  lost. 

Sun.  14. — At  eight  I  chose  a  large  ground,  the  sloping 
side  of  a  meadow,  where  the  congregation  stood,  row 
above  row,  so  that  all  might  see  as  well  as  hear.  It  was 
a  beautiful  sight.  Every  one  seemed  to  take  to  himselt 
what  was  spoken.  I  believe  every  backslider  in  the 
town  was  there.  And  surely  God  was  there,  to  "  heal 
their  backslidings." 

I  began  at  Zennor,  as  soon  as  the  Church  service 
ended :  I  suppose  scarce  six  persons  went  away. 

At  five  I  went  once  more  into  the  ground  at  St.  Ives, 
and  found  such  a  congregation  as  I  think  was  never  seen 
in  a  place  before  (Gwennap  excepted)  in  this  county. 
Some  of  the  chief  of  the  town  were  now  not  in  the 
skirts,  but  in  the  thickest  of  the  people.  The  clear  sky, 
the  setting  sun,  the  smooth,  still  water,  all  agreed  with 
the  state  of  the  audience. 

"A  Kind  of  Waterspout** 
Wed.  17. — The  room  at  St.  Just  was  quite  full  at 
five,  and  God  gave  us  a  parting  blessing.  At  noon  I 
preached  on  the  cliff  near  Penzance,  where  no  one  now 
gives  an  uncivil  word.  Here  I  procured  an  account, 
from  an  eye-witness,  of  what  happened  the  twenty-seventh 
of  last  month.  A  round  pillar,  narrowest  at  bottom,  of 
a  whitish  colour,  rose  out  of  the  sea  near  Mousehole, 
and  reached  the  clouds.  One  who  was  riding  over  the 
strand  from  Marazion  to  Penzance  saw  it  stand  for  a 
short  space,  and  then  move  swiftly  toward  her,  till  the 
skirt  of  it  touching  her,  the  horse  threw  her  and  ran 
away.    It  had  a  strong  sulphurous  smell.    It  dragged 


Sept.  1760    A  WATERSPOUT  ON  LAND  2C9 


with  it  abundance  of  sand  and  pebbles  from  the  shore ; 
and  then  went  over  the  land,  carrying  with  it  corn,  furze, 
or  whatever  it  found  in  its  way.  It  was  doubtless  a  kind 
of  water-spout ;  but  a  water- spout  on  land,  I  believe,  is 
seldom  seen. 

Fri.  19. — I  rode  to  Illogan.  We  had  heavy  rain 
before  I  began,  but  scarce  any  while  I  was  preaching. 
I  learned  several  other  particulars  here  concerning  the 
water-spout.  It  was  seen  near  Mousehole  an  hour 
before  sunset.  About  sunset  it  began  travelling  over 
the  land,  rearing  up  all  the  furze  and  shrubs  it  met. 
Near  an  hour  after  sunset  it  passed  (at  the  rate  of  four 
or  five  miles  an  hour)  across  Mr.  Harris's  fields,  in 
Camborne,  sweeping  the  ground  as  it  went,  about 
twenty  yards  in  diameter  at  bottom,  and  broader 
and  broader  up  to  the  clouds.  It  made  a  noise  like 
thunder,  took  up  eighteen  stacks  of  corn,  with  a  large 
hay-stack  and  the  stones  whereon  it  stood,  scattered 
them  abroad  (but  it  was  quite  dry),  and  then  passed 
over  the  cliff  into  the  sea. 

Sat.  20. — In  the  evening  I  took  my  old  stand  in  the 
main  street  in  Redruth.  A  multitude  of  people,  rich 
and  poor,  calmly  attended.  So  is  the  roughest  become 
one  of  the  quietest  towns  in  England. 

A  Tinner's  Story 
Sun.  21. — I  preached  in  the  same  place  at  eight. 

Mr.  C   ,  of  St.  Cubert,  preached  at  the  church  both 

morning  and  afternoon,  and  strongly  confirmed  what  I 
had  spoken.  At  one,  the  day  being  mild  and  calm,  we 
had  the  largest  congregation  of  all.  But  it  rained  all 
the  time  I  was  preaching  at  Gwennap.  We  concluded 
the  day  with  a  love-feast,  at  which  James  Roberts,  a  tinner 
of  St.  Ives,  related  how  God  had  dealt  with  his  soul. 


270  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1760 

He  was  one  of  the  first  in  society  in  St.  Ives,  but 
soon  relapsed  into  his  old  sin,  drunkenness,  and  wallowed 
in  it  for  two  years,  during  which  time  he  headed  the 
mob  who  pulle\i  down  the  preaching-house.  Not  long 
after,  he  was  standing  with  his  partner  at  Edward  May's 
shop  when  the  preacher  went  by.  His  partner  said, 
"  I  will  tell  him  I  am  a  Methodist."  "  Nay,"  said 
Edward,  "  your  speech  will  bewray  you."  James  felt 
the  word  as  a  sword,  thinking  in  himself,  So  does  my 
speech  now  bewray  me  ! "  He  turned  and  hastened 
home,  fancying  he  heard  the  devil  step;  ing  after  him  all 
the  way.  For  forty  hours  he  never  closed  his  eyes,  nor 
tasted  either  meat  or  drink.  He  was  then  at  his  wit's 
end,  and  went  to  the  window,  looking  to  drop  into 
hell  instantly,  when  he  heard  those  words,  "  I  will  be 
merciful  to  thy  unrighteousness,  thy  sins  and  iniquities 
will  I  remember  no  more."  All  his  load  was  gone; 
and  he  has  now  for  many  years  walked  worthy  of  the 
Gospel. 

Wed.  Oct.  22. — Being  informed  that  some  neighbour- 
ing gentlemen  had  declared  they  would  apprehend  the 
next  preacher  who  came  to  Pensford,  I  rode  over  to  give 
them  the  meeting  ;  but  none  appeared.  The  house  was 
more  than  filled  with  deeply  attentive  hearers.  It  seems 
the  time  is  come  at  length  for  the  word  of  God  to  take 
root  here  also. 

Fri.  24. — I  visited  the  French  prisoners  at  Knowie, 
and  found  many  of  them  almost  naked  again.  In  hopes 
of  provoking  others  to  jealousy,  I  made  another  collec- 
tion for  them,  and  ordered  the  money  to  be  laid  out  in 
linen  and  waistcoats,  which  were  given  to  those  that 
were  most  in  want. 

Sat.  25.1 — King  George  was  gathered  to  his  fathers. 
When  will  England  have  a  better  Prince  ? 


Jan.  1761    WESLEY  DESCRIBES  NEWGATE  271 

Many  of  us  agreed  to  observe  Friday,  31,  as  a  day  of 
fasting  and  prayer  for  the  blessing  of  God  upon  our 
nation,  and  in  particular  on  his  present  Majesty.  We 
met  at  five,  at  nine,  at  one,  and  at  half-past  eight.  I 
expected  to  be  a  little  tired,  but  was  more  lively  after 
twelve  at  night  than  I  was  at  six  in  the  morning. 

Wesley  Writes  to  the     London  Chronicle** 
1761.  Jan.  Fri.  2. — I  wrote  the  following  letter: 
"  To  the  Editor  of  the  London  Chronicle. 

"Sir, — Of  all  the  seats  of  woe  on  this  side  hell, 
few,  I  suppose,  exceed  or  even  equal  Newgate.  If 
any  region  of  horror  could  exceed  it  a  few  years  ago, 
Newgate  in  Bristol  did;  so  great  was  the  filth,  the 
stench,  the  misery,  and  wickedness,  which  shocked 
all  who  had  a  spark  of  humanity  left. 

How  was  I  surprised  then,  when  I  was  there  a  few 
weeks  ago !  i.  Every  part  of  it,  above  stairs  and 
below,  even  the  pit,  wherein  the  felons  are  confined 
at  night,  is  as  clean  and  sweet  as  a  gentleman's 
house  j  it  being  now  a  rule,  that  every  prisoner  wash 
and  clean  his  apartment  throughly  twice  a  week. 
2.  Here  is  no  fighting  or  brawling.  If  any  thinks 
himself  ill-used,  the  cause  is  immediately  referred  to 
the  keeper,  who  hears  the  contending  parties  face  to 
face,  and  decides  the  affair  at  once.  3.  The  usual 
grounds  of  quarrelling  are  removed.  For  it  is  very 
rarely  that  any  one  cheats  or  wrongs  another,  as 
being  sure,  if  any  thing  of  this  kind  is  discovered,  to 
be  committed  to  a  closer  confinement. 

4.  Here  is  no  drunkenness  suffered,  however 
advantageous  it  might  be  to  the  keeper,  as  well  as  the 
tapster.    5.  Nor  any  whoredom  ;  the  women  prisoners 


272  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL      March  1761 

being  narrowly  observed,  and  kept  separate  from  the 
men :  nor  is  any  woman  of  the  town  now  admitted, 
no,  not  at  any  price.  6.  All  possible  care  is  taken  to 
prevent  idleness :  those  who  are  willing  to  work  at 
their  callings  are  provided  with  tools  and  materials, 
partly  by  the  keeper,  who  gives  them  credit  at  a  very 
moderate  profit;  partly  by  the  alms  occasionally 
given,  which  are  divided  with  the  utmost  prudence 
and  impartiality.  Accordingly,  at  this  time,  among 
others,  a  shoemaker,  a  tailor,  a  brazier,  and  a  coach- 
maker  are  working  at  their  several  trades. 

7.  Only  on  the  Lord's  day  they  neither  work  nor 
play,  but  dress  themselves  as  clean  as  they  can,  to 
attend  the  public  service  in  the  chapel,  at  which  every 
person  under  the  roof  is  present.  None  is  excused, 
unless  sick;  in  which  case  he  is  provided,  gratis,  both 
with  advice  and  medicines.  8.  And  in  order  to  assist 
them  in  things  of  the  greatest  concern  (besides  a  sermon 
every  Sunday  and  Thursday),  they  have  a  large  Bible 
chained  on  one  side  of  the  chapel,  which  any  of  the 
prisoners  may  read.  By  the  blessing  of  God  on  these 
regulations  the  prison  now  has  a  new  face  :  nothing 
offends  either  the  eye  or  ear;  and  the  whole  has  the 
appearance  of  a  quiet,  serious  family.  And  does  not  the 
keeper  of  Newgate  deserve  to  be  remembered  full  as 
well  as  the  Man  of  Ross?  May  the  Lord  remember 
him  in  that  day  !  Meantime,  will  no  one  follow  his 
example  ?    I  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 

"John  Wesley." 

Sat.  March  14. — I  rode  (from  Birmingham)  to  Wed- 
nesbury.  Sunday,  15.  I  made  a  shift  to  preach  within 
at  eight  in  the  morning  ;  but  in  the  cfternoon  I  knew 


March  1761     PREACHING  DIFFICULTIES  273 


not  what  to  do,  having  a  pain  in  my  side,  and  a  sore 
throat.  However,  I  resolved  to  speak  as  long  as  I  could. 
I  stood  at  one  end  of  the  house,  and  the  people  (sup- 
posed to  be  eight  or  ten  thousand)  in  the  field  adjoining. 
I  spoke  from,  "  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the 
excellency  of  the  kr^owledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord." 
When  I  had  done  speaking,  my  complaints  were  gone. 

Mon.  16. — I  intended  to  rest  two  or  three  days;  but 
being  pressed  to  visit  Shrewsbury,  and  having  no  other 
time,  I  rode  over  to-day,  though  upon  a  miserable 
beast.  When  I  came,  my  head  ached  as  well  as  my 
side.  I  found  the  door  of  the  place  where  I  was  to 
preach  surrounded  by  a  numerous  mob.  But  they  seemed 
met,  only  to  starve.  Yet  part  of  them  came  in ;  almost  all 
that  did  (a  large  number)  behaved  quietly  and  seriously. 

Preaching  in  the  Inn  Yard 
Tucs.  17. — At  five  the  congregation  was  large,  and 
appeared  not  a  little  affected.  The  difficulty  now  was, 
how  to  get  back.  For  I  could  not  ride  the  horse  on 
which  I  came.  But  this  too  was  provided  for.  We  met 
in  the  street  with  one  who  lent  me  his  horse,  which  was 
so  easy  that  I  grew  better  and  better  till  I  came  to 
Wolverhampton.  None  had  yet  preached  abroad  in 
this  furious  town ;  but  I  was  resolved,  with  God's  help, 
to  make  a  trial,  and  ordered  a  table  to  be  set  in  the  inn- 
yard.  Such  a  number  of  wild  men  I  have  seldom  seen ; 
but  they  gave  me  no  disturbance,  either  while  I 
preached,  or  when  I  afterwards  walked  through  the 
midst  of  them. 

About  five  I  preached  to  a  far  larger  congregation  at 
Dudley,  and  all  as  quiet  as  at  London.  The  scene  is 
changed,  since  the  dirt  and  stones  of  this  town  were 
flying  about  me  on  every  side. 

S 


274  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1761 

Sat.  May  2  (Aberdeen). — In  the  afternoon  I  sent  to 
the  Principal  and  Regent  to  desire  leave  to  preach  in 
the  College  Close.  This  was  readily  granted ;  but  as  it 
began  to  rain,  I  was  desired  to  go  into  the  hall.  I  sup- 
pose this  is  full  an  hundred  feet  long,  and  seated  all 
around.  The  congregation  was  large,  notwithstanding 
the  rain ;  and  'full  as  large  at  five  in  the  morning. 

Wesley  Preaches  at  Aberdeen 
Mon.  4 — About  noon  I  took  a  walk  to  the  King's 
College,  in  Old  Aberdeen.  It  has  three  sides  of  a 
square,  handsomely  built,  not  unlike  Queen's  College 
in  Oxford.  Going  up  to  see  the  hall,  we  found  a  large 
company  of  ladies,  with  several  gentlemen.  They 
looked,  and  spoke  to  one  another,  after  which  one  of  the 
gentlemen  took  courage  and  came  to  me.  He  said, 
"  We  came  last  night  to  the  College  Close,  but  could  not 
hear,  and  should  be  extremely  obliged  if  you  would  give 
us  a  short  discourse  here."  I  knew  not  what  God 
might  have  to  do;  and  so  began  without  delay,  on, 
"  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  Himself.' 
I  believe  the  word  was  not  lost :  it  fell  as  dew  on  the 
tender  grass. 

In  the  afternoon  I  was  walking  in  the  library  of  the 
Marischal  College,  when  the  Principal,  and  the  Divinity 
Professor,  came  to  me ;  and  the  latter  invited  me  to  his 
lodgings,  where  I  spent  an  hour  very  agreeably.  In  the 
evening,  the  eagerness  of  the  people  made  them  ready  to 
trample  each  other  under  foot.  It  was  some  time  before 
they  were  still  enough  to  hear ;  but  then  they  devoured 
every  word.  After  preaching,  Sii  Archibald  Grant 
(whom  business  had  called  to  town)  sent  and  desired  tc 
speak  to  me.  I  could  not  then,  but  promised  to  wait 
upon  him,  with  God's  leave  in  my  return  to  Edinburgh, 


May  1 761     INSANITARY  EDINBURGH 


275 


Tues.  5. — I  accepted  the  Principal's  invitation,  and 
spent  an  hour  with  him  at  his  house.  I  observed  no 
stiffness  at  all,  but  the  easy  good  breeding  of  a  man  of 
sense  and  learning.  I  suppose  both  he  and  all  the 
Professors,  with  some  of  the  magistrates,  attended  in 
the  evening.  I  set  all  the  windows  open  ;  but  the  hall, 
notwithstanding,  was  as  hot  as  a  bagnio. 

Wed.  6. — At  half-hour  after  six  I  stood  in  the  College 
Close,  and  proclaimed  Christ  crucified.  My  voice  was  so 
strengthened  that  all  could  hear ;  and  all  were  earnestly 
attentive. 

Wesley's  Criticism  of  Edinburgh 
Mon.  II. — I  took  my  leave  of  Edinburgh  for  the 
present.  The  situation  of  the  city,  on  a  hill  shelving 
down  on  both  sides,  as  well  as  to  the  east,  with  the 
stately  castle  upon  a  craggy  rock  on  the  west,  is  inex- 
pressibly fine.  And  the  main  street,  so  broad  and  finely 
paved,  with  the  lofty  houses  on  either  hand  (many  of 
them  seven  or  eight  stories  high),  is  far  beyond  any  in 
Great  Britain.  But  how  can  it  be  suffered,  that  all 
manner  of  filth  should  still  be  thrown  even  into  this 
street  continually  ?  Where  are  the  magistracy,  the 
gentry,  the  nobility  of  the  land  ?  Have  they  no  concern 
for  the  honour  of  their  nation  ?  How  long  shall  the 
capital  city  of  Scotland,  yea,  and  the  chief  street  of  it, 
stink  worse  than  a  common  sewer  ?  Will  no  lover  of 
his  country,  or  of  decency  and  common  sense,  find  a 
remedy  for  this  ? 

Holyrood  House,  at  the  entrance  of  Edinburgh,  the 
ancient  palace  of  the  Scottish  Kings,  is  a  noble  structure. 
It  was  rebuilt  and  furnished  by  King  Charles  the  Second. 
One  side  of  it  is  a  picture-gallery,  wherein  are  pictures 
of  all  the  Scottish  Kings,  and  an  original  one  of  the 


276  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1761 

celebrated  Queen  Mary:  it  is  scarce  possible  for  any 
who  looks  at  this  to  think  her  such  a  monster  as  some 
have  painted  her ;  nor  indeed  for  any  who  considers  the 
circumstances  of  her  death,  equal  to  that  of  an  ancient 
martyr. 

A  Busy  Week 

Men.  June  15. — I  rode  to  Durham,  having  appointed 
to  preach  there  at  noon.  The  meadow,  near  the  river  side, 
was  quite  convenient,  and  the  small  rain  neither  disturbed 
me  nor  the  congregation.  In  the  afternoon  I  rode  to 
Hartlepool ;  but  I  had  much  ado  to  preach ;  my  strength 
was  gone  as  well  as  my  voice;  and,  indeed,  they 
generally  go  together.  Three  days  in  a  week  I  can 
preach  thrice  a  day  without  hurting  myself ;  but  I  had 
now  far  exceeded  this,  besides  meeting  classes  and 
exhorting  the  societies.  I  was  obliged  to  lie  down  good 
part  of  Tuesday  :  however,  in  the  afternoon  I  preached 
at  Cherington,  and  in  the  evening  at  Hartlepool  again, 
though  not  without  difficulty.  Wednesday,  17.  I  rode 
to  Stockton,  where,  a  little  before  the  time  of  preaching, 
my  voice  and  strength  were  restored  at  once.  The  next 
evening  it  began  to  rain  just  as  I  began  to  preach;  but 
it  was  suspended  till  the  service  was  over  :  it  then  rained 
again  till  eight  in  the  morning. 

Fri.  19. — It  was  hard  work  to  ride  eight  miles  (so 
called)  in  two  hours  and  a  half ;  the  rain  beating  upon 
us,  and  the  by-road  being  exceeding  slippery.  But  we 
forgot  all  this  when  we  came  to  the  Grange ;  so  greatly 
was  God  present  witn  His  people.  Thence  we  rode  to 
Darlington.  Here  we  were  under  a  difficulty  again  : 
not  half  the  people  could  come  in,  and  the  rain  forbade 
my  preaching  without.  But  at  one  (the  hour  of  preach- 
ing) the  rain  stopped  and  did  not  begin  again  till  past 


June  1761  ON  A  TABLE  IN  THE  MARKET  277 

two  ;  so  the  people  stood  very  conveniently  in  the  yard ; 
and  many  did  not  care  to  go  away.  When  I  went  in, 
they  crowded  to  the  door  and  windows,  and  stayed  till 
I  took  horse.  At  seven  I  preached  at  Yarm,  and 
desired  one  of  our  brethren  to  take  my  place  in  the 
morning. 

Wesley  and  Impositions 

Sun.  21. — I  rode  to  Osmotherley,  where  the  minister 
read  prayers  seriously,  and  preached  an  useful  sermon. 
After  service  I  began  in  the  church-yard  :  I  believe 
many  were  wounded  and  many  comforted.  After  dinner 
I  called  on  Mr.  Adams,  who  first  invited  me  to 
Osmotherley.  He  was  reading  the  strange  account 
of  the  two  missionaries  who  have  lately  made  such  a 
figure — in  the  newspapers.  I  suppose  the  whole  account 
is  just  such  another  gross  imposition  upon  the  public  as 
the  man's  gathering  the  people  together  to  see  him  go 
into  the  quart  bottle.  "  Men  seven  hundred  years  old  !  " 
And  why  not  seven  yards  high  ?  He  that  can  believe  it, 
let  him  believe  it. 

Mon.  22. — I  spoke,  one  by  one,  to  the  society  at 
Hutton  Rudby.  At  eleven  I  preached  once  more,  though 
in  great  weakness  of  body,  and  met  the  stewards  of  all 
the  societies.  I  then  rode  to  Stokesley,  and,  having 
examined  the  little  society,  went  on  for  Guisborough. 
The  sun  was  burning  hot ;  but,  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
a  cloud  interposed,  and  he  troubled  us  no  more.  I  was 
desired  by  a  gentlemen  of  the  town  to  preach  in  the 
market-place ;  and  there  a  table  was  placed  for  me,  but 
it  was  in  a  bad  neighbourhood ;  for  there  was  so  vehe- 
ment a  stench  of  stinking  fish,  as  was  ready  to  suffocate 
me,  and  the  people  roared  like  the  waves  of  the  sea ; 
but  the  voice  of  the  Lord  was  mightier;  and  in  a  few 


278  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1761 

minutes  the  whole  multitude  was  still,  and  seriously 
attended  while  I  proclaimed  "  Jesus  Christ,  made  of  God 
unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification, 
and  redemption." 

Tues.  23. — I  began  about  five,  near  the  same  place, 
and  had  a  great  part  of  the  same  audience ;  yet  they 
were  not  the  same.  The  change  might  easily  be  read  in 
their  countenance.  When  we  took  horse,  and  just  faced 
the  sun,  it  was  hard  work  for  man  and  beast ;  but  about 
eight  the  wind  shifted,  and  blowing  in  our  face,  kept  us 
cool  till  we  came  to  Whitby. 

In  the  evening  I  preached  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  to 
which  you  ascend  by  an  hundred  ninety  and  one  steps. 
The  congregation  was  exceeding  large,  and  ninety-nine 
in  an  hundred  were  attentive.  When  I  began,  the  sun 
shone  full  in  my  face ;  but  he  soon  clouded,  and  shone 
no  more  till  I  had  done. 

Wed.  24. — I  walked  round  the  old  Abbey,  which, 
both  with  regard  to  its  size  (being,  I  judge,  an  hundred 
yards  long),  and  the  workmanship  of  it,  is  one  of  the 
finest,  if  not  the  finest,  ruin  in  the  kingdom.  Hence 
we  rode  to  Robin  Hood's  Bay,  where  I  preached  at 
six  in  the  Lower  Street,  near  the  quay.  In  the  midst 
of  the  sermon  a  large  cat,  frighted  out  of  a  chamber, 
leaped  down  upon  a  woman's  head,  and  ran  over  the 
heads  or  shoulders  of  many  more ;  but  none  of  them 
moved  or  cried  out,  any  more  than  if  it  had  been  a 
butterfly. 

Thur.  25. — I  had  a  pleasant  ride  to  Scarborough,  the 
wind  tempering  the  heat  of  the  sun.  I  had  designed  to 
preach  abroad  in  the  evening;  but  the  thunder, lightning, 
and  rain  prevented  :  however,  I  stood  on  a  balcony,  and 
several  hundreds  of  peoi^le  stood  below :  and,  notwith- 
standing the  heavy  rain,  would  not  stir  till  I  concluded. 


July  1761        LEGAL  ABSURDITIES  279 


Fri.  July  3. — We  returned  to  York,  where  I  was 
desired  to  call  upon  a  poor  prisoner  in  the  castle.  I 
had  formerly  occasion  to  take  notice  of  an  hideous 
monster,  called  a  Chancery  Bill ;  I  now  saw  the  fellow 
to  it,  called  a  Declaration.  The  plain  fact  was  this  : 
Some  time  since  a  man  who  lived  near  Yarm  assisted 
others  in  running  some  brandy.  His  share  was  near 
four  pounds.  After  he  had  wholly  left  off  that  bad 
work,  and  was  following  his  own  business,  that  of  a 
weaver,  he  was  arrested,  and  sent  to  York  gaol ;  and, 
not  long  after,  comes  down  a  Declaration,  "  that  Jac. 

  had  landed  a  vessel  laded  with  brandy  and 

Geneva,  at  the  port  of  London,  and  sold  them  there, 
whereby  he  was  indebted  to  his  Majesty  five  hundred 
and  seventy-seven  pounds  and  upwards."  And  to  tell 
this  worthy  story,  the  lawyer  takes  up  thirteen  or  four- 
teen sheets  of  treble  stamped  paper. 

A  Monster  Called  a  Declaration 

O  England,  England !  will  this  reproach  never  be 
rolled  away  from  thee  ?  Is  there  any  thing  like  this  to 
be  found,  either  among  Papists,  Turks,  or  heathens  ? 
In  the  name  of  truth,  justice,  mercy,  and  common  sense, 
I  ask,  I.  Why  do  men  lie  for  lying  sake?  Is  it  only  to 
keep  their  hands  in  ?  What  need  else,  of  saying  it  was 
the  port  of  London,  when  every  one  knew  the  brandy  was 
landed  above  three  hundred  miles  from  thence  ?  What  a 
monstrous  contempt  of  truth  does  this  show,  or  rather 
hatred  to  it  1  2,  \Miere  is  the  justice  of  swelling  four 
pounds  into  five  hundred  and  seventy-seven  ?  3.  Where 
is  the  common  sense  of  taking  up  fourteen  sheets  to  tell 
a  story  that  may  be  told  in  ten  lines  ?  4.  Where  is  the 
mercy  of  thus  grinding  the  face  of  the  poor  ?  thus  suck- 
ing the  blood  of  a  poor,  beggared  prisoner  ?    Would  not 


280  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        July  1761 

this  be  execrable  villainy,  if  the  paper  and  writing  together 
were  only  sixpence  a  sheet,  when  they  have  stripped  him 
already  of  his  little  all,  and  not  left  him  fourteen  groats 
in  the  world  ? 

Sun.  5. — Believing  one  hindrance  of  the  work  of  God 
in  York,  was  the  neglect  of  field-preaching,  I  preached 
this  morning  at  eight,  in  an  open  place,  near  the  city 
walls.  Abundance  of  people  ran  together,  most  of  whom 
were  deeply  attentive.  One  or  two  only  were  angry,  and 
threw  a  few  stones;  but  it  was  labour  lost;  for  none 
regarded  them. 

Sun.  12. — I  had  appointed  to  be  at  Haworth  ;  but 
the  church  would  not  near  contain  the  people  who  came 
from  all  sides  :  however,  Mr.  Grimshaw  had  provided 
for  ihis  by  fixing  a  scaffold  on  the  outside  of  one  of  the 
windows,  through  which  I  went  after  prayers,  and  the 
people  likewise  all  went  out  into  the  church-yard.  The 
afternoon  congregation  was  larger  still.  What  has  God 
wrought  in  the  midst  of  those  rough  mountains  1 

Some  Impudent  Women 
Mon.  13. — About  five  I  preached  at  Paddiham, 
another  place  eminent  for  all  manner  of  wickedness. 
The  multitude  of  people  obliged  me  to  stand  in  the  yard 
of  the  preaching-house.  Over  against  me,  at  a  little 
distance,  sat  some  of  the  most  impudent  women  I  ever 
saw :  yet  I  am  not  sure  that  God  did  not  reach  their 
hearts ;  for 

They  roar'd,  and  would  have  blush'd,  if  capable  of  shame. 

Fri.  24. — About  one  I  preached  at  Bramley,  where 
Jonas  Rushford,  about  fourteen  years  old,  gave  me  the 
following  relation  : 

"  About  this  time  last  year  I  was  desired  by  two  of 
our  neighbours    o  go  with  them  to  Mr.  Crowther's  at 


July  1761    REMARKABLE  SECOND  SIGHT  281 

Skipton,  who  would  not  speak  to  them,  about  a  man 
that  had  been  missing  twenty  days,  but  bid  them  bring 
a  boy  twelve  or  thirteen  years  old.  When  we  came  in, 
he  stood  reading  a  book. 

Seen  in  a  Looking-glass 

"  He  put  me  into  a  bed,  with  a  looking-glass  in  my  hand, 
and  covered  me  all  over.  Then  he  asked  me  whom  I  had 
a  mind  to  see  ;  and  I  said,  '  My  mother.'  I  presently  saw 
her  with  a  lock  of  wool  in  her  hand,  standing  just  in  the 
place,  and  the  clothes  she  was  in,  as  she  told  me  afterwards. 
Then  he  bid  me  look  again  for  the  man  that  was  missing, 
who  was  one  of  our  neighbours.  And  I  looked  and  saw 
him  riding  towards  Idle,  but  he  was  very  drunk ;  and 
he  stopped  at  the  alehouse  and  drank  two  pints  more, 
and  he  pulled  out  a  guinea  to  change.  Two  men  stood 
by,  a  big  man  and  a  little  man ;  and  they  went  on 
before  him,  and  got  two  hedge-stakes ;  and  when  he 
came  up,  on  Windle  Common,  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  they 
pulled  him  off  his  horse,  and  killed  him,  and  threw  him 
into  a  coal-pit.  And  I  saw  it  all  as  plain  as  if  I  was 
close  to  them.  And  if  I  saw  the  men,  I  should  know 
them  again. 

"  We  went  back  to  Bradford  that  night ;  and  the 
next  day  I  went  with  our  neighbours  and  showed 
them  the  spot  where  he  was  killed,  and  the  pit  he  was 
thrown  into ;  and  a  man  went  down  and  brought  him 
up.  And  it  was  as  I  had  told  them;  his  handker- 
chief was  tied  about  his  mouth,  and  fastened  behind  his 
neck." 

Is  it  improbable  only,  or  flatly  impossible,  when  all 
the  circumstances  are  considered,  that  this  should  all  be 
pure  fiction  ?  They  that  can  believe  this,  may  believe 
a  man's  getting  into  a  bottle. 


28J  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Nov.  1761 

Mod.  July  27. — I  preached  at  Staincross  about 
eleven ;  about  five,  at  Barley  Hall ;  the  next  morning, 
at  Sheffield.  In  the  afternoon  I  rode  on  to  Matlock 
Bath.  The  valley  which  reaches  from  the  town  to 
the  bath  is  pleasant  beyond  expression.  In  the  bottom 
of  this  runs  a  little  river,  close  to  which  a  mountain 
rises,  almost  perpendicular,  to  an  enormous  height,  part 
covered  with  green,  part  with  ragged  and  naked  rocks. 
On  the  other  side,  the  mountain  rises  gradually  with 
tufts  of  trees  here  and  there.  The  brow  on  both 
sides  is  fringed  with  trees,  which  seem  to  answer  each 
other. 

"Wesley  at  Matlock  Bath  and  Boston 

Many  of  our  friends  were  come  from  various  parts. 
At  six  I  preached  standing  under  the  hollow  of  a  rock, 
on  one  side  of  a  small  plain ;  on  the  other  side  of  which 
was  a  tall  mountain.  There  were  many  well-dressed 
hearers,  this  being  the  high  season ;  and  all  of  them 
behaved  well.  But  as  I  walked  back,  a  gentleman-like 
man  asked  me,  "  Why  do  you  talk  thus  of  faith  ?  Stuff, 
nonsense  !  "  Upon  inquiry,  I  found  he  was  an  eminent 
Deist.  What,  has  the  plague  crept  into  the  Peak  of 
Derbyshire  ? 

Thur.  Aug.  13. — I  took  a  walk  through  Boston.  I 
think  it  is  not  much  smaller  than  Leeds ;  but,  in  general, 
it  is  far  better  built.  The  church  is  indeed  a  fine 
building.  It  is  larger,  loftier,  nay,  and  rather  more 
lightsome,  than  even  St.  Peter's  at  Norwich :  and  the 
steeple  is,  I  suppose,  the  highest  tower  in  England,  nor 
less  remarkable  for  the  architecture  than  the  height. 

Sat.  Nov.  14. — I  spent  an  hour  with  a  little 
company  near  Grosvenor  Square.  For  many  years  this 
has  been  the  darkest,  driest  spot,  of  all  in  or  near 


March  1762     GOD'S  RECOMPENSE  283 

London.  But  God  has  now  watered  the  barren  wilder- 
ness, and  it  is  become  a  fruitful  field. 

Preaching  at  Deptford,  Welling,  and  Sevenoaks,  in 
my  way,  on  Thursday,  December  3, 1  came  to  Shoreham. 
There  I  read  the  celebrated  "  Life  of  St.  Katherine,  of" 
Genoa."  Mr.  Lesley  calls  one  "a  devil  of  a  saint":  I 
am  sure  this  was  a  fool  of  a  saint ;  that  is,  if  it  was  not 
the  folly  of  her  historian,  who  has  aggrandised  her  into 
a  mere  idiot.  Indeed  we  seldom  find  a  saint  of  God's 
making,  sainted  by  the  Bishop  of  Rome. 

Fri.  25  (London). — We  began,  as  usual,  at  four.  A 
few  days  since,'  one  who  Uved  in  known  sin,  finding 
heavy  conviction,  broke  away,  and  ran  out,  she  knew 
not  whither.  She  met  one  who  offered  her  a  shilling  a 
week  to  come  and  take  care  of  her  child.  She  went 
gladly.  The  woman's  husband,  hearing  her  stir  between 
three  and  four,  began  cursing  and  swearing  bitterly. 
His  wife  said,  "  I  wish  thou  wouldest  go  with  her,  and 
see  if  anything  will  do  thee  good."  He  did  so.  In 
the  first  hymn  God  broke  his  heart;  and  he  was  in 
tears  all  the  rest  of  the  service.  How  soon  did  God 
recompense  this  poor  woman  for  taking  the  stranger 
inl 

Preaching  by  Moonlight 

1762.  Mon.  Jan.  4. — After  preaching  to  a  large 
congregation  at  Wrestlingworth,  we  rode  on  to  Harston. 
I  never  preached  a  whole  sermon  by  moonlight  before. 
However,  it  was  a  solemn  season;  a  season  of  holy 
mourning  to  some ;  to  others,  of  joy  unspeakable. 

Mon.  March  29. — I  preached  about  twelve  in  the 
new  room  at  Chepstow.  One  of  the  congregation  was  a 
neighbouring  clergyman,  who  lived  in  the  same  staircase 
with  me  at  Christ  Church,  and  was  then  far  more  serious 


284.  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL     March  1762 

than  me.  Blessed  be  God,  who  has  looked  upon  me 
at  last !    Now  let  me  redeem  the  time  ! 

In  the  afternoon  we  had  such  a  storm  of  hail  as  I 
scarce  ever  saw  in  my  life.  The  roads  likewise  were  so 
extremely  bad  that  we  did  not  reach  Hereford  till  past 
eight.  Having  been  well  battered  both  by  hail,  rain, 
and  wind,  I  got  to  bed  as  soon  as  I  could,  but  was 
waked  many  times  by  the  clattering  of  the  curtains.  In 
the  morning  I  found  the  casement  wide  open ;  but 
I  was  never  the  worse.  I  took  horse  at  six,  with 
William  Crane  and  Francis  Walker.  The  wind  was 
piercing  cold,  and  we  had  many  showers  of  snow  and 
rain;  but  the  worst  was,  part  of  the  road  was  scarce 
passable ;  so  that  at  Church  Stretton,  one  of  our  horses 
lay  down  and  would  go  no  farther.  However,  William 
Crane  and  I  pushed  on,  and  before  seven  reached 
Shrewsbury. 

A  large  company  quickly  gathered  together :  many  of 
them  were  wild  enough ;  but  the  far  greater  part  were 
calm  and  attentive,  and  came  again  at  five  in  the 
morning. 

Some  Rough  Journeys 

Wed.  31. — Having  been  invited  to  preach  at  Wem, 
Mrs.  Glynne  desired  she  might  take  me  thither  in  a 
post-chaise;  but  in  little  more  than  an  hour  we  were 
fast  enough :  however,  the  horses  pulled  till  the  traces 
broke.  I  should  then  have  walked  on  had  I  been 
alone,  though  the  mud  was  deep,  and  the  snow  drove 
impetuously ;  but  I  could  not  leave  my  friend ;  so  I 
waited  patiently  till  the  man  had  made  shift  to  mend  the 
traces ;  and  the  horses  pulled  amain ;  so  that  with 
much  ado,  not  long  after  the  time  appointed,  I  came  to 
Wem. 


April  1762       SAILS  FOR  IRELAND  285 

I  came :  but  the  person  who  invited  me  was  gone  ; 
gone  out  of  town  at  four  in  the  morning ;  and  I  could 
find  no  one  who  seemed  either  to  expect  or  desire  my 
company,  I  inquired  after  the  place  where  Mr.  Mather 
preached ;  but  it  was  filled  with  hemp.  It  remained 
only  to  go  into  the  market-house  :  but  neither  any  man, 
woman,  nor  child  cared  to  follow  us ;  the  north  wind 
roared  so  loud  on  every  side,  and  poured  in  from 
every  quarter.  However,  before  I  had  done  singing, 
two  or  three  crept  in ;  and  after  them,  two  or  three 
hundred ;  and  the  power  of  God  was  so  present  among 
them,  that  I  believe  many  forgot  the  storm. 

The  wind  grew  still  higher  in  the  afternoon,  so  that  it 
was  difficult  to  sit  our  hoises;  and  it  blew  full  in  our 
face,  but  could  not  prevent  our  reaching  Chester  in  the 
evening.  Though  the  warning  was  short,  the  room  was 
full;  and  full  of  serious,  earnest  hearers,  many  of  whom 
expressed  a  longing  desire  of  the  whole  salvation  of 
God.    Here  I  rested  on  Thursday. 

Friday,  April  2.  I  rode  to  Parkgate,  and  found 
several  ships ;  but  the  wind  was  contrary.  I  preached 
at  five  in  the  small  house  they  have  just  built ;  and 
the  hearers  were  remarkably  serious.  I  gave  notice 
of  preaching  at  five  in  the  morning.  But  at  half-hour 
after  four  one  brought  us  word  that  the  wind  was 
come  fair,  and  Captain  Jordan  would  sail  in  less 
than  an  hour.  We  were  soon  in  the  ship,  wherein  we 
found  about  three-score  passengers.  The  sun  shone 
bright,  the  wind  was  moderate,  the  sea  smooth,  and  we 
wanted  nothing  but  room  to  stir  ourselves ;  the  cabin 
being  filled  with  hops,  so  that  we  could  not  get  into  it 
but  by  climbing  over  them  on  our  hands  and  knees. 
In  the  afternoon  we  were  abreast  of  Holyhead.  But 
the  scene  was  quickly  changed :  the  wind  rose  higher 


286  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  1762 

and  higher,  and  by  seven  o'clock  blew  a  storm.  The 
sea  broke  over  us  continually,  and  sometimes  covered 
the  ship,  which  both  pitched  and  rolled  in  an  uncommon 
manner.  So  L  was  informed ;  for,  being  a  little  sick,  I 
lay  down  at  six,  and  slept,  with  little  intermission,  till 
near  six  in  the  morning.  We  were  then  near  Dublin 
Bay,  where  we  went  into  a  boat,  which  carried  us  to 
Dunleary.  There  we  met  with  a  chaise  just  ready, 
in  which  we  went  to  Dublin. 

Remarkable  Speaking  Statue 
Mon.  April  26. — In  the  evening  I  preached  to  a  large 
congregation  in  the  market-house  at  Lurgan.  I  now 
embraced  the  opportunity  which  I  had  long  desired,  of 
talking  with  Mr.  Miller,  the  contriver  of  that  statue 
which  was  in  Lurgan  when  I  was  there  before.  It  was 
the  figure  of  an  old  man,  standing  in  a  case,  with  a 
curtain  drawn  before  him,  over  against  a  clock  which 
stood  on  the  other  side  of  the  room.  Every  time  the 
clock  struck,  he  opened  the  door  with  one  hand,  drew 
back  the  curtain  with  the  other,  turned  his  head,  as  if 
looking  round  on  the  company,  and  then  said  with  a 
clear,  loud,  articulate  voice,  "  Past  one,  two,  three,"  an  ' 
so  on.  But  so  many  came  to  see  this  (the  like  of  which 
all  allowed  was  not  to  be  seen  in  Europe)  that  Mr. 
Miller  was  in  danger  of  being  ruined,  not  having  time  to 
attend  his  own  business  ;  so,  as  none  offered  to  purchase 
it,  or  to  reward  him  for  his  pains,  he  took  the  whole 
machine  in  pieces ;  nor  has  he  any  thought .  of  ever 
making  any  thing  of  the  kind  again. 

Wed.  28. — In  the  morning  I  rode  to  Monaghan. 
The  commotions  in  Munster  having  now  alarmed  all 
Ireland,  we  had  hardly  alighted,  when  some  wise  persons 
informed  the  Provost  there  were  three  strange  sort  of 


May  1762    A  SUPPER  OF  POTATOES  287 

men  come  to  the  King's  Arms.  So  the  Provost  with  his 
officers  came  without  delay,  to  secure  the  north  from  so 
imminent  a  danger.  I  was  just  come  out,  when  I  was 
required  to  return  into  the  house.  The  Provost  asked 
me  many  questions,  and  perhaps  the  affair  might  have 
turned  serious,  had  I  not  had  two  letters  with  me,  which 
I  had  lately  received;  one  from  the  Bishop  of  London- 
derry, the  other  from  the  Earl  of  Moira.  Upon  reading 
these,  he  excused  himself  for  the  trouble  he  had  given, 
and  wished  me  a  good  journey. 

Between  six  and  seven  I  preached  at  Coot  Hill,  and  in 
the  morning  rode  on  to  Enniskillin.  After  riding  round 
and  round,  we  came  in  the  evening  to  a  lone  house 
called  Carrick-a-beg.  It  lay  in  the  midst  of  horrid 
mountains ;  and  had  no  very  promising  appearance. 
However,  it  aff"orded  corn  for  our  horses,  and  potatoes 
for  ourselves.  So  we  made  an  hearty  supper,  called  in 
as  many  as  pleased  of  the  family  to  prayers,  and,  though 
we  had  no  fastening  either  for  our  doors  or  our  windows, 
slept  in  peace. 

Wesley  and  the  Oatmeal  Sellers 
Mon.  May  3  (Sligo). — In  the  evening  a  company  of 
players  began  acting  in  the  upper  part  of  the  market- 
house,  just  as  we  began  singing  in  the  lower.  The  case 
of  these  is  remarkable.  The  Presbyterians  for  a  long 
time  had  their  public  worship  here ;  but  when  the 
strollers  came  to  town,  they  were  turned  out ;  and  from 
that  time  had  no  public  worship  at  all.  On  Tuesday 
evening  the  lower  part  too  was  occupied  by  buyers  and 
sellers  of  oatmeal ;  but  as  soon  as  I  began,  the  people 
quitted  their  sacks,  and  listened  to  business  of  greater 
importance. 

Sun.  16. — I  had  observed  to  the  society  last  week 


288  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1762 

that  I  had  not  seen  one  congregation  ever  in  Ireland 
behave  so  ill  at  church  as  that  at  Athlone,  laughing, 
and  staring  about  during  the  whole  service.  I  had 
added,  "  This  is  your  fault ;  for  if  you  had  attended  the 
church,  as  you  ought  to  have  done,  your  presence  and 
example  would  not  have  failed  to  influence  the  whole 
congregation."  And  so  it  appeared ;  I  saw  not  one 
to-day,  either  laughing,  talking,  or  staring  about ;  but  a 
remarkable  seriousness  was  spread  from  the  one  end  of 
the  church  to  the  other. 

The  Irish  Whiteboys 
Mon.  24. — I  went  with  two  friends,  to  see  one  of  the 
greatest  natural  wonders  in  Ireland, — Mount  Eagle, 
vulgarly  called  Crow  Patrick.  The  foot  of  it  is  fourteen 
miles  from  Castlebar.  There  we  left  our  horses,  and 
procured  a  guide.  It  was  just  twelve  when  we  alighted  ; 
the  sun  was  burning  hot,  and  we  had  not  a  breath  of 
wind.  Part  of  the  ascent  was  a  good  deal  steeper  than 
an  ordinary  pair  of  stairs.  About  two  we  gained  the 
top,  which  is  an  oval,  grassy  plain,  about  an  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  in  length,  and  seventy  or  eighty  in 
breadth.  The  upper  part  of  the  mountain  much 
resembles  the  Peak  of  Teneriffe.  I  think  it  cannot  rise 
much  less  than  a  mile  perpendicular  from  the  plain 
below.  There  is  an  immense  prospect  on  one  side 
toward  the  sea,  and  on  the  other  over  the  land.  But  as 
most  of  it  is  waste  and  uncultivated,  the  prospect  is  not 
very  pleasing. 

Mon.  June  14. — I  rode  to  Cork.  Here  I  procured 
an  exact  account  of  the  late  commotions.  About  the 
beginning  of  December  last,  a  few  men  met  by  night 
near  Nenagh,  in  the  county  of  Limerick,  and  threw  down 
the  fences  of  some  commons,  which  had  been  lately 


July  1762  IRISH  REBELS  289 

inclosed.  Near  the  same  time  the  others  met  in  the 
county  of  Tipperary,  of  Waterford,  and  of  Cork.  As 
no  one  offered  to  suppress  or  hinder  them,  they  increased 
in  number  continually,  and  called  themselves  White- 
boys,  wearing  white  cockades,  and  white  linen  frocks. 
In  February,  there  were  five  or  six  parties  of  them,  two 
or  three  hundred  men  in  each,  who  moved  up  and  down, 
chiefly  in  the  night ;  but  for  what  end,  did  not  appear. 
Only  they  levelled  a  few  fences,  dug  up  some  grounds, 
and  hamstrung  some  cattle,  perhaps  fifty  or  sixty  in  all. 

One  body  of  them  came  into  Cloheen,  of  about  five 
hundred  foot,  and  two  hundred  horse.  They  moved  as 
exactly  as  regular  troops,  and  appeared  to  be  thoroughly 
disciplined.  They  now  sent  letters  to  several  gentlemen, 
threatening  to  pull  down  their  houses.  They  compelled 
every  one  they  met  to  take  an  oath  to  be  true  to  Queen 
Sive  (whatever  that  meant)  and  the  Whiteboys ;  not  to 
reveal  their  secrets ;  and  to  join  them  when  called  upon. 
It  was  supposed,  eight  or  ten  thousand  were  now 
actually  risen,  many  of  them  well  armed ;  and  that  a  far 
greater  number  were  ready  to  rise  whenever  they  should 
be  called  upon.  Those  who  refused  to  swear,  they 
threatened  to  bury  alive.  Two  or  three  they  did  bury 
up  to  the  neck,  and  left  them ;  where  they  must  quickly 
have  perished,  had  they  not  been  found  in  time  by  some 
travelling  by.  At  length,  toward  Easter,  a  body  of 
troops,  chiefly  light  horse,  were  sent  against  them. 
Many  were  apprehended  and  committed  to  gaol ;  the 
rest  of  them  disappeared.  This  is  the  plain,  naked  fact, 
which  has  been  so  variously  represented. 

Whitewashing  Kilkenny  Marble 
Sat.  July  10. — We  rode  to  Kilkenny,  one  of  the 
pleasantest  and  the  most  ancient  cities  in  the  kingdom  j 

X 


290  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1762 

and  not  inferior  to  any  at  all  in  wickedness,  or  in  hatred 
to  this  way.  I  was  therefore  glad  of  a  permission  to 
preach  in  the  Town  Hall ;  where  a  small,  serious  com- 
pany attended  an  the  evening.  Sunday,  11.  I  went  to 
the  cathedral ;  one  of  the  best  built  which  I  have  seen  in 
Ireland.  The  pillars  are  all  of  black  marble ;  but  the 
late  Bishop  ordered  them  to  be  white-washed  !  Indeed, 
marble  is  so  plentiful  near  this  town,  that  the  very 
streets  are  paved  with  it. 

Mon.  12. — I  went  to  Dunmore  Cave,  three  or  four 
miles  from  Kilkenny.  It  is  full  as  remarkable  as 
Poole's  Hole,  or  any  other  in  the  Peak.  The  opening  is 
round,  parallel  to  the  horizon,  and  seventy  or  eighty 
yards  across.  In  the  midst  of  this,  there  is  a  kind  of 
arch,  twenty  or  thirty  feet  high.  By  this  you  enter  into 
the  first  cave,  nearly  round,  and  forty  or  fifty  feet  in 
diameter.  It  is  encompassed  with  spar-stones,  just  like 
those  on  the  sides  of  Poole's  Hole.  On  one  side  of  the 
cave  is  a  narrow  passage,  which  goes  under  the  rock 
two  or  three  hundred  yards ;  on  the  other,  an  hollow, 
which  no  one  has  ever  been  able  to  find  an  end  of.  I 
suppose  this  hole  too,  as  well  as  many  others,  was 
formed  by  the  waters  of  the  deluge,  retreating  into  the 
great  abyss,  with  which  probably  it  communicates. 

Mon.  26. — In  some  respects  the  work  of  God  in 
Dublin  was  more  remarkable  than  even  that  in 
London,  i.  It  is  far  greater,  in  proportion  to  the  time, 
and  to  the  number  of  people.  That  society  had  above 
seven-and-twenty  hundred  members;  this  not  a  fifth 
part  of  the  number.  Six  months  after  the  flame  broke 
out  there,  we  had  about  thirty  witnesses  of  the  great 
salvation.  In  Dublin  there  were  about  forty  in  less 
than  four  months.  2.  The  work  was  more  pure.  In 
all  this  time,  while  they  were  mildly   and  tenderly 


Sept.  1762      TROUBLE  AT  EXETER 


291 


treated,  there  were  none  of  them  headstrong  or  unadvis- 
able ;  none  that  were  wiser  than  their  teachers ;  none 
who  dreamed  of  being  immortal  or  infalHble,  or  incap- 
able of  temptation  :  in  short,  no  whimsical  or  enthu- 
siastic persons  :  all  were  calm  and  sober-minded. 

"Wesley  in  Cornwall 

Friday,  Aug.  27. — I  set  out  for  the  west;  and  having 
preached  at  Shepton  and  Middlesey  in  the  way,  came  on 
Saturday  to  Exeter.  When  I  began  the  service  there, 
the  congregation  (beside  ourselves)  were  two  women, 
and  one  man.  Before  I  had  done,  the  room  was  about 
half  full.    This  comes  of  omitting  field-preaching. 

Sun.  29. — I  preached  at  eight  on  Southernay  Green, 
to  an  extremely  quiet  congregation.  At  the  cathedral 
we  had  an  useful  sermon,  and  the  whole  service  was 
performed  with  great  seriousness  and  decency.  Such 
an  organ  I  never  saw  or  heard  before,  so  large,  beautiful, 
and  so  finely  toned;  and  the  music  of  "Glory  be  to 
God  in  the  highest,"  I  think  exceeded  the  "  Messiah  " 
itself.  I  was  well  pleased  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
supper  with  my  old  opponent,  Bishop  Lavington. 
O  may  we  sit  down  together  in  the  kingdom  of  our 
Father ! 

At  five  I  went  to  Southernay  Green  again,  and  found 
a  multitude  of  people ;  but  a  lewd,  profane,  drunken 
vagabond  had  so  stirred  up  many  of  the  baser  sort,  that 
there  was  much  noise,  hurry,  and  confusion.  While  I 
was  preaching,  several  things  were  thrown,  and  much 
pains  taken  to  overturn  the  table ;  and  after  I  concluded, 
many  endeavoured  to  throw  me  down,  but  I  walked 
through  the  midst,  and  left  them. 

Saturday,  Sept.  4. — After  preaching  in  Giampound,  I 
rode  on  to  Truro.    I  almost  expected  there  would  be 


29^  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        SiiFr.  1762 

some  disturbance,  as  it  was  market-day,  and  I  stood  in 
the  street  at  a  small  distance  from  the  market.  But  all 
was  quiet.  Indeed  both  persecution  and  [)opular  tumult 
seem  to  be  forgqtten  in  Cornwall. 

Sun.  5. — As  I  was  enforcing,  in  the  same  place, 
those  solemn  words,  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  a  poor  man 
began  to  make  some  tumult;  but  many  cried  out, 
"  Constables,  take  him  away."  They  did  so,  and  the 
hurry  was  over.  At  one  I  preached  in  the  main  street 
at  Redruth,  where  rich  and  poor  were  equally  attentive. 
The  wind  was  so  high  at  five,  that  I  could  not  stand  in 
the  usual  place  at  Gwennap.  But  at  a  small  distance 
was  a  hollow,  capable  of  containing  many  thousand 
people.  I  stood  on  one  side  of  this  amphitheatre 
toward  the  top,  with  the  people  beneath  and  on  all 
sides,  and  enlarged  on  those  words  in  the  Gospel  for  the 
day  (Lukex.  23,  24),  "Blessed  are  the  eyes  which  see 
the  things  that  ye  see,  and  which  hear  the  things  that  ye 
hear." 

Wed.  15. — The  more  I  converse  with  the  believers 
in  Cornwall,  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  they  have 
sustained  great  loss  for  want  of  hearing  the  doctrine  of 
Christian  perfection  clearly  and  strongly  enforced.  I 
see,  wherever  this  is  not  done,  the  believers  grow  dead 
and  cold.  Nor  can  this  be  prevented,  but  by  keeping  up 
in  them  an  hourly  expectation  of  being  perfected  in  love. 
I  say  an  hourly  expectation ;  for  to  expect  it  at  death, 
or  some  time  hence,  is  much  the  same  as  not  expecting 
it  at  all. 

That  detestaV)le  practice  of  cheating  the  King  (smug- 
gling) is  no  more  found  in  our  societies.  And  since 
that  accursed  thing  has  been  put  away,  the  work  of  God 
has  everywhere  increased. 


Oct.  1762  "THAT  SOLEMN  CUSTOM"  293 


Mon.  October  25. — I  preached  at  one,  in  the  shell 
of  the  new  house  at  Shepton  Mallet.  In  digging  the 
foundation  they  found  a  quarry  of  stone,  which  was 
more  than  sufficient  for  the  house. 

Thur.  28. — One  who  had  adorned  the  Gospel  in  life 
and  in  death,  having  desired  that  I  should  preach  her 
funeral  sermon,  I  went  with  a  few  friends  to  the  house, 
and  sang  before  the  body  to  the  room.  I  did  this  the 
rather,  to  show  my  approbation  of  that  solemn  custom, 
and  to  encourage  others  to  follow  it.  As  we  walked, 
our  company  swiftly  increased,  so  that  we  had  a  very 
numerous  congregation  at  the  room.  And  who  can 
tell,  but  some  of  these  may  bless  God  from  it  to  all 
eternity  ? 

"Wesley's  Day  of  Pentecost 

Many  years  ago  my  brother  frequently  said,  "  Your 
day  of  Pentecost  is  not  fully  come ;  but  I  doubt  not  it 
will;  and  you  will  then  hear  of  persons  sanctified,  as 
frequently  as  you  do  now  of  persons  justified."  Any 
unprejudiced  reader  may  observe,  that  it  was  now  fully 
come.  And  accordingly  we  did  hear  of  persons  sancti- 
fied, in  London,  and  most  other  parts  of  England,  and 
in  Dublin,  and  many  other  parts  of  Ireland,  as  frequently 
as  of  persons  justified ;  although  instances  of  the 
latter  were  far  more  frequent  than  they  had  been  for 
twenty  years  before.  That  many  of  these  did  not  retain 
the  gift  of  God,  is  no  proof  that  it  was  not  given  them. 
That  many  do  retain  it  to  this  day,  is  matter  of  praise 
and  thanksgiving.  And  many  of  them  are  gone  to  him 
whom  they  loved,  praising  him  with  their  latest  breath ; 
just  in  the  spirit  of  Ann  Steed,  the  first  witness  in 
Bristol  of  the  great  salvation ;  who,  being  worn  out 
with  sickness  and  racking  pain,  after  she  had  com- 


294.  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1763 

mended  to  God  all  that  were  round  her,  lifted  up  her 
eyes,  cried  aloud,  "  Glory  !  Hallelujah  !  "  and  died. 

Wesley  in  Aberdeen  Again 
1763.  Mon.  May  16. — Setting  out  a  month  later  than 
usual,  I  judged  it  needful  to  make  the  more  haste  ;  so  I 
took  post-chaises,  and  by  that  means  easily  reached  New- 
castle, on  Wednesday,  18.  Thence  I  went  on  at  leisure, 
and  came  to  Edinburgh,  on  Saturday,  21.  The  next 
day  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  spending  a  little  time  with 
Mr.  Whitefield.  Humanly  speaking,  he  is  worn  out; 
but  we  have  to  do  with  him  who  hath  all  power  in 
heaven  and  earth. 

Mon.  23. — I  rode  to  Forfar,  and  on  Tuesday,  24,  rode 
on  to  Aberdeen. 

Wed.  25. — I  inquired  into  the  state  of  things  here. 
Surely  never  was  there  a  more  open  door.  The  four 
ministers  of  Aberdeen,  the  minister  of  the  adjoining 
town,  and  the  three  ministers  of  Old-Aberdeen,  hitherto 
seem  to  have  no  dislike,  but  rather  to  wish  us  *'  good 
luck  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Most  of  the  town's 
people  as  yet  seem  to  wish  us  well ;  so  that  there  is  no 
open  opposition  of  any  kind.  O  what  spirit  ought  a 
preacher  to  be  of,  that  he  may  be  able  to  bear  all  this 
sunshine ! 

About  noon  I  went  to  Gordon's  Hospital,  built  near 
the  town  for  poor  children.  It  is  an  exceeding  hand- 
some building,  and  (what  is  not  common)  kept  exceeding 
clean.  The  gardens  are  pleasant,  well  laid  out,  and  in 
extremely  good  order ;  but  the  old  bachelor  who  founded 
it,  has  expressly  provided  that  no  woman  should  ever  be 
there. 

At  seven,  the  evening  being  fair  and  mild,  I  preached 
to  a  multitude  of  people,  in  the  College  Close,  on,  "  Stand 


May  1763       RELIGIOUS  SCOTLAND 


295 


in  the  ways  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths."  But 
the  next  evening,  the  weather  being  raw  and  cold,  I 
preached  in  the  College  Hall.  What  an  amazing  willing- 
ness to  hear  runs  through  this  whole  kingdom  !  There 
want  only  a  few  zealous,  active  labourers,  who  desire 
nothing  but  God ;  and  they  might  soon  carry  the  Gospel 
through  all  this  country,  even  as  high  as  the  Orkneys. 

Plain  Dealing  in  Scotland 
Fri.  27. — I  set  out  for  Edinburgh  again.  About  one 
I  preached  at  Brechin.  All  were  deeply  attentive. 
Perhaps  a  few  may  not  be  forgetful  hearers.  Afterwards 
we  rode  on  to  Broughty  Castle,  two  or  three  miles  below 
Dundee.  We  were  in  hopes  of  passing  the  river  here, 
though  we  could  not  at  the  town  ;  but  we  found  our 
horses  could  not  pass  till  eleven  or  twelve  at  night. 
So  we  judged  it  would  be  best,  to  go  over  ourselves  and 
leave  them  behind.  In  a  little  time  we  procured  a  kind 
of  a  boat,  about  half  as  long  as  a  London  wherry,  and 
three  or  four  feet  broad.  Soon  after  we  had  put  off,  I 
perceived  it  leaked  on  all  sides,  nor  had  we  anything 
to  lade  out  the  water.  When  we  came  toward  the 
middle  of  the  river,  which  was  three  miles  over,  the 
wind  being  high,  and  the  water  rough,  our  boatmen 
seemed  a  little  surprised ;  but  we  encouraged  them  to 
pull  away,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  we  landed  safe. 
Our  horses  were  brought  after  us ;  and  the  next  day  we 
rode  on  to  Kinghorn-ferry,  and  had  a  pleasant  passage 
to  Leith. 

Sun.  29. — I  preached  at  seven  in  the  High  School 
yard,  Edinburgh.  It  being  the  time  of  the  General 
Assembly,  which  drew  together,  not  the  ministers  only, 
but  abundance  of  the  nobility  and  gentry,  many  of  both 
sorts  were  present ;  but  abundantly  more  at  five  in  the 


296  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1763 

afternoon.  I  spake  as  plain  as  ever  I  did  in  my  life. 
But  I  never  knew  any  in  Scotland  offended  at  plain 
dealing.  In  this  respect  the  North  Britons  are  a  pattern 
to  all  mankind. 

Tues.  June  7. — There  is  something  remarkable  in  the 
manner  wherein  God  revived  his  work  in  these  parts. 
A  few  months  ago  the  generality  of  people  in  this  circuit 
were  exceeding  lifeless.  Samuel  Meggot,  perceiving 
this,  advised  the  society  at  Barnard  Castle  to  observe 
every  Friday  with  fasting  and  prayer.  The  very  first 
Friday  they  met  together,  God  broke  in  upon  them  in  a 
wonderful  manner;  and  his  work  has  been  increasing 
among  them  ever  since.  The  neighbouring  societies 
heard  of  this,  agreed  to  follow  the  same  rule,  and  soon 
experi^ced  the  same  blessing.  Is  not  the  neglect  of 
this  plain  duty  (I  mean  fasting,  ranked  by  our  Lord 
with  almsgiving  and  prayer)  one  general  occasion  of 
deadness  among  Christians  ?  Can  any  one  willingly 
neglect  it,  and  be  guiltless  ? 

The  Drunkard's  Magnificat 
Thur.  16. — At  five  in  the  evening  I  preached  at 
Dewsbury,  and  on  Friday,  17,  reached  Manchester. 
Here  I  received  a  particular  account  of  a  remarkable 
incident :  An  eminent  drunkard  of  Congleton  used  to 
divert  himself,  whenever  there  was  preaching  there,  by 
standing  over  against  the  house,  cursing  and  swearing  at 
the  preacher.  One  evening  he  had  a  fancy  to  step  in, 
and  hear  what  the  man  had  to  say.  He  did  so  :  but  it 
made  him  so  uneasy  that  he  could  not  sleep  all  night. 
In  the  morning  he  was  more  uneasy  still ;  he  walked  in 
the  fields,  but  all  in  vain,  till '  it  came  in  his  mind  to 
go  to  one  of  his  merry  companions,  who  was  always 
ready  to  abuse  the  Methodists.    He  told  him  how  he 


Junk  1763    A  STRANGE  CONVERSION  297 


was,  and  asked  what  he  should  do.  "  Do !  "  said 
Samuel,  "  go  and  join  the  society.  I  will ;  for  I  was 
never  so  uneasy  in  my  life."  They  did  so  without 
delay.  But  presently  David  cried  out,  "  I  am  sorry  I 
joined;  for  I  shall  get  drunk  again,  and  they  will  turn 
me  out."  However,  he  stood  firm  for  four  days ;  on  the 
fifth,  he  was  persuaded  by  the  old  companions  to  "  take 
one  pint,"  and  then  another,  and  another,  till  one  of 
them  said,  "  See,  here  is  a  Methodist  drunk  !  " 

David  started  up,  and  knocked  him  over,  chair  and 
all.  He  then  drove  the  rest  out  of  the  house,  caught 
up  the  landlady,  carried  her  out,  threw  her  into  the 
kennel ;  went  back  to  the  house,  broke  down  the  door, 
threw  it  into  the  street,  and  then  ran  into  the  fields,  tore 
his  hair,  and  rolled  up  and  down  on  the  ground.  In  a 
day  or  two  was  a  love-feast ;  he  stole  in,  getting  behind, 
that  none  might  see  him.  While  Mr.  Furze  was  at 
prayer,  he  was  seized  with  a  dreadful  agony,  both  of  body 
and  mind.  This  caused  many  to  wrestle  with  God  for 
him.  In  a  while  he  sprung  up  on  his  feet,  stretched 
out  his  hands,  and  cried  aloud,  "  All  my  sins  are  for- 
given !  "  At  the  same  instant,  one  on  the  other  side  of 
the  room  cried  out,  "  Jesus  is  mine !  And  he  has  taken 
away  all  my  sins."  This  was  Samuel  H.  David  burst 
through  the  people,  caught  him  in  his  arms,  and  said, 
"Come,  let  us  sing  the  Virgin  Mary's  song;  I  never 
could  sing  it  before.  '  My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord, 
and  my  spirit  doth  rejoice  in  God  my  Saviour.'  "  And 
their  following  behaviour  plainly  showed  the  reality  of 
their  profession. 

Mon.  20. — I  preached  at  Maxfield  about  noon.  As 
I  had  not  been  well,  and  was  not  quite  recovered,  our 
brethren  insisted  on  sending  me  in  a  chaise  to  Burslem, 
Between  four  and  five  I  quitted  the  chaise,  and  took  my 


298  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1763 

horse.  Presently  after,  hearing  a  cry,  I  looked  back, 
and  saw  the  chaise  upside  down  (the  wheel  having 
violently  struck  against  a  stone),  and  well  nigh  dashed 
in  pieces,  Abput  seven  I  preached  to  a  large  congrega- 
tion at  Burslem ;  these  poor  potters,  four  years  ago, 
were  as  wild  and  ignorant  as  any  of  the  colliers  in 
Kingswood.    Lord,  thou  hast  power  over  thy  own  clay  I 

"Wesley  Praises  Wales 
Sat.  Aug.  20  (Brecknock). — We  took  horse  at  four, 
and  rode  through  one  of  the  pleasantest  countries  in  the 
world.  When  we  came  to  Trecastle,  we  had  rode  fifty 
miles  in  Monmouthshire  and  Brecknockshire ;  and  I 
will  be  bold  to  say,  all  England  does  not  afford  such  a  line 
of  fifty  miles'  length,  for  fields,  meadows,  woods,  brooks, 
and  gently-rising  mountains,  fruitful  to  the  very  top. 
Carmarthenshire,  into  which  we  came  soon  after,  has  at 
least  as  fruitful  a  soil ;  but  it  is  not  so  pleasant,  because 
it  has  fewer  mountains,  though  abundance  of  brooks 
and  rivers.  About  five  I  preached  on  the  green  at 
Carmarthen  to  a  large  number  of  deeply  attentive 
people.  Here  two  gentlemen  from  Pembroke  met  me, 
with  whom  we  rode  to  St.  Clare,  intending  to  lodge 
there ;  but  the  inn  was  quite  full :  so  we  concluded  to 
try  for  Larn,  though  we  knew  not  the  way,  and  it  was 
now  quite  dark.  Just  then  came  up  an  honest  man 
who  was  riding  thither,  and  we  willingly  bore  him 
company. 

Thur.  25. — I  was  more  convinced  than  ever  that  the 
preaching  like  an  Apostle,  without  joining  together  those 
that  are  awakened,  and  training  them  up  in  the  ways  of 
God,  is  only  begetting  children  for  the  murderer.  How 
much  preaching  has  there  been  for  these  twenty  years  all 
over    Pembrokeshire!    But   no   regular  societies,  no 


Sept.  1 763  "CHILDREN  FOR  THE  MURDERER"  299 


discipline,  no  order  or  connection  ;  and  the  consequence 
is,  that  nine  in  ten  of  the  once-awakened  are  now  faster 
asleep  than  ever. 

Fri.  26. — We  designed  to  take  horse  at  four  (from 
Haverfordwest),  but  the  rain  poured  down,  so  that  one 
could  scarce  look  out.  About  six,  however,  we  set  out, 
and  rode  through  heavy  rain  to  St.  Clare.  Having  then 
Httle  hopes  of  crossing  the  sands,  we  determined  to  go 
round  by  Carmarthen ;  but  the  hostler  told  us  we  might 
save  several  miles,  by  going  to  Llansteffan's  Ferry.  We 
came  thither  about  noon,  where  a  good  woman  in- 
formed us  the  boat  was  aground,  and  would  not  pass 
till  the  evening:  so  we  judged  it  best  to  go  by 
Carmarthen  still.  But  when  we  had  rode  three  or 
four  miles,  I  recollected  that  I  had  heard  speak  of 
a  ford,  which  would  save  us  some  miles'  riding.  We 
inquired  of  an  old  man,  who  soon  mounted  his  horse, 
showed  us  the  way,  and  rode  through  the  river 
before  us. 

Soon  after  my  mare  dropped  a  shoe,  which  occasioned 
so  much  loss  of  time,  that  we  could  not  ride  the  sands, 
but  were  obliged  to  go  round,  through  a  miserable  road 
to  Llanellos.  To  mend  the  matter,  our  guide  lost  his 
way,  both  before  we  came  to  Llanellos  and  after ;  so 
that  it  was  as  much  as  we  could  do  to  reach  Bocher 
Ferry  a  Httle  after  sunset.  Knowing  it  was  impossible 
then  to  reach  Penreese,  as  we  designed,  we  went  on 
straight  to  Swansea. 

Methodists  and  their  Weahh 
Sat.  Sept.  17  (Bristol). — I  preached  on  the  green  at 
Bedminster.    I  am  apt  to  think  many  of  the  hearers 
scarce  ever  heard  a  Methodist  before,  or  perhaps  any 
other  preacher.    What  but  field-preaching  could  reach 


300  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Dec.  1763 

these  poor  sinners?  And  are  not  their  souls  also 
precious  in  the  sight  of  God  ? 

Sun.  18. — I  preached  in  the  morning  in  Princess 
Street,  to  a  numerous  congregation.  Two  or  three 
gentleman,  so-called,  laughed  at  first;  but  in  a  few 
minutes  they  were  as  serious  as  the  rest.  On  Monday 
evening  I  gave  our  brethren  a  solemn  caution,  not  to 
«<love  the  world,  neither  the  things  of  the  world."  This 
will  be  their  grand  danger :  as  they  are  industrious  and 
frugal,  they  must  needs  increase  in  goods.  This  appears 
already:  in  London,  Bristol,  and  most  other  trading 
towns,  those  who  are  in  business  have  increased  in  sub- 
stance seven-fold,  some  of  them  twenty,  yea,  an  hun- 
dred-fold. What  need,  then,  have  these  of  the  strongest 
warnings,  lest  they  be  entangled  therein,  and  perish  ! 

Fri.  23. — I  preached  at  Bath.  Riding  home  we  saw 
a  coffin,  carrying  into  St.  George's  church,  with  many 
children  attending  it.  When  we  came  near,  we  found 
they  were  our  own  children,  attending  the  corpse  of  one 
of  their  school-fellows,  who  had  died  of  the  small-pox; 
and  God  thereby  touched  many  of  their  hearts  in  a 
manner  they  never  knew  before. 

Mon.  26. — I  preached  to  the  prisoners  in  Newgate, 
and  in  the  afternoon  rode  over  to  Kingswood,  where  I 
had  a  solemn  watch-night,  and  an  opportunity  of 
speaking  closely  to  the  children.  One  is  dead,  two 
recovered,  seven  are  ill  still ;  and  the  hearts  of  all  are 
like  melting  wax. 

Sat.  October  i. — I  returned  to  London,  and  found 
our  house  in  ruins,  great  part  of  it  being  taken  down,  in 
order  to  a  thorough  repair.  But  as  much  remained 
as  I  wanted :  six  foot  square  suffices  me  by  day  or  by 
night. 

Thur.  Dec.  22. — I  spent  a  little   time   in  a  visit 


Feb.  1764-     IN  WESTMINSTER  ABBEY  301 

to  Mr.  M  ;  twenty  years  ago  a  zealous  and  useful 

magistrate,  now  a  picture  of  human  nature  in  disgrace  ; 
feeble  in  body  and  mind  ;  slow  of  speech  and  of  under- 
standing.   Lord,  let  me  not  live  to  be  useless  ! 

1764.  INIon.  Jan.  16. — I  rode  to  High  Wycombe, 
and  preached  to  a  more  numerous  and  serious  congre- 
gation than  ever  I  saw  there  before.  Shall  there  be  yet 
another  day  of  visitation  to  this  careless  people  ? 

A  large  number  was  present  at  five  in  the  morning  : 
but  my  face  and  gums  were  so  swelled  I  could  hardly 
speak.  After  I  took  horse,  they  grew  worse  and  worse, 
till  it  began  to  rain.  I  was  then  persuaded  to  put  on 
an  oil-case  hood,  which  (the  wind  being  very  high)  kept 
rubbing  continually  on  my  cheek,  till  both  pain  and 
swelling  were  gone. 

A  Difficult  Crossing 

Between  twelve  and  one  we  crossed  Ensham  Ferry. 
The  v.ater  was  like  a  sea  on  both  sides.  I  asked  the 
ferryman,  "  Can  we  ride  the  causeway  ?  "  He  said, 
"  Yes,  sir ;  if  you  keep  in  the  middle."  But  this  was 
the  difficulty,  as  the  whole  causeway  was  covered  with 
water  to  a  considerable  depth.  And  this  in  many  parts 
ran  over  the  causeway  with  the  swiftness  and  violence  of 
a  sluice.  Once  my  mare  lost  both  her  fore  feet,  but  she 
gave  a  spring,  and  recovered  the  causeway  :  otherwise 
we  must  have  taken  a  swim  ;  for  the  water  on  either 
side  was  ten  or  twelve  feet  deep.  However,  after  one  or 
two  more  plunges  more,  we  got  through,  and  came  safe 
to  Whitney. 

Mon.  Feb.  6. — I  opened  the  new  chapel  at  Wapping. 

Thur.  16. — I  once  more  took  a  serious  walk  through 
the  tombs  in  Westminster  Abbey.  What  heaps  of  un- 
meaning stone  and  marble !    But  there  was  one  tomb 


302  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL      March  1764 

which  showed  common  sense;  that  beautiful  figure  of 
Mr.  Nightingale  endeavouring  to  screen  his  lovely  wife 
from  Death.  Here  indeed  the  marble  seems  to  speak, 
and  the  statuses  appear  only  not  alive. 
/  Fri.  24 — I  returned  to  London.  Wednesday,  29, 
I  heard  "Judith,"  an  oratorio,  performed  at  the  Lock. 
Some  parts  of  it  are  exceedingly  fine  ;  but  there  are  two 
things  in  all  modern  pieces  of  music,  which  I  could 
never  reconcile  to  common  sense.  One  is,  singing  the 
same  words  ten  times  over;  the  other,  singing  different 
words  by  different  persons,  at  one  and  the  sam«;  time. 
And  this,  in  the  most  solemn  addresses  to  God,  whct  icr 
by  way  of  prayer  or  of  thanksgiving.  This  can  ne^'er 
be  defended  by  all  the  musicians  in  Europe,  till  reas  n 
is  quite  out  of  date. 

"Wesley  at  Birmingham,  Walsall,  and  Derby 

Wed.  March  21. — We  had  an  exceeding  large  con 
gregation  at  Birmingham,  in  what  was  formerly  the 
playhouse.  Happy  would  it  be,  if  all  the  playhouses  in 
the  kingdom  were  converted  to  so  good  an  use.  After 
service  the  mob  gathered,  and  threw  some  dirt  and 
stones  at  those  who  were  going  out.  But  it  is  probable 
they  will  soon  be  calmed,  as  some  of  them  are  in  gaol 
already.  A  few  endeavoured  to  make  a  disturbance  the 
next  evening  during  the  preaching ;  but  it  was  lost 
labour;  the  congregation  would  not  be  diverted  from 
taking  earnest  heed  to  the  things  that  were  spoken. 

Fri.  23. — I  rode  to  Dudley,  formerly  a  den  of  lions, 
but  now  as  quiet  as  Bristol.  They  had  just  finished  their 
preaching-house,  which  was  thoroughly  filled.  I  saw  no 
trifler  ;  but  many  in  tears. 

Mon.  26. — I  was  desired  to  preach  at  Walsal.  James 
Jones  was  alarmed  at  the  motion,  apprehending  there 


March  176+       A  FATEFUL  TEXT  303 

would  be  much  disturbance.  However,  I  determined  to 
make  the  trial.  Coming  into  the  house,  I  met  with  a 
token  for  good.  A  woman  was  telling  her  neighbour 
why  she  came  :  "  I  had  a  desire,"  said  she,  "  to  hear 
this  man  ;  yet  I  durst  not,  because  I  heard  so  much  ill 
of  him;  but  this  morning  I  dreamed  I  was  praying 
earnestly,  and  I  heard  a  voice,  saying,  '  See  the  eighth 
verse  of  the  first  chapter  of  St.  John.'  I  waked,  and 
got  my  Bible,  and  read,  'He  was  not  that  Li^^ht,  but  was  1 
sent  to  bear  witness  of  that  Light.'  I  got  up,  and  came 
away  with  all  my  heart." 

The  house  not  being  capable  of  containing  the  people, 
about  seven  I  began  preaching  abroad ;  and  there  was 
no  opposer,  no,  nor  a  trifler  to  be  seen.  All  present  were 
earnestly  attentive.  How  is  Walsal  changed  !  How  has 
God  either  tamed  the  wild  beasts,  or  chained  them  up ! 

Tues.  27. — We  rode  to  Derby.  Mr.  Dobinson  be- 
lieved it  would  be  best  for  me  to  preach  in  the  market- 
place, as  there  seemed  to  be  a  general  inclination  in  the 
town,  even  among  people  of  fashion,  to  hear  me.  He 
had  mentioned  it  to  the  mayor,  who  said  he  did  not 
apprehend  there  would  be  the  least  disturbance ;  but  if 
there  should  be  any  thing  of  the  kind,  he  would  take 
care  to  suppress  it.  A  multitude  of  people  were 
gathered  at  five,  and  were  pretty  quiet  till  I  had  named 
my  text.  Then  "  the  beasts  of  the  people  "  lifted  up 
their  voice,  hallooing  and  shouting  on  every  side. 
Finding  it  impossible  to  be  heard,  I  walked  softly  away. 
An  innumerable  retinue  followed  me;  but  only  a  few 
pebble-stones  were  thrown,  and  no  one  hurt  at  all. 

Most  of  the  rabble  followed  quite  to  Mr.  D  's 

house ;  but  it  seems,  without  any  malice  prepense ;  for 
they  stood  stock-still  about  an  hour,  and  then  quietly 
went  away. 


304  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        April  176^ 

Sat.  31  (Rotherham). — An  odd  circumstance  occurred 
during  the  morning  preaching.  It  was  well,  only 
serious  persons  were  present.  An  ass  walked  gravely  in 
at  the  gate,  came  up  to  the  door  of  the  house,  lifted  up 
his  head,  and  stood  stock-still,  in  a  posture  of  deep 
attention.  Might  not  "the  dumb  beast  reprove" 
many  who  have  far  less  decency,  and  not  much  more 
understanding  ? 

**No  Law  for  Methodists** 

At  noon  I  preached  (the  room  being  too  small  to 
contain  the  people)  in  a  yard,  near  the  bridge,  in 
Doncaster.  The  wind  was  high  and  exceeding  sharp, 
and  blew  all  the  time  on  the  side  of  my  head.  In  the 
afternoon  I  was  seized  with  a  sore  throat,  almost  as  soon 
as  I  came  to  Epworth;  however,  I  preached,  though 
with  some  difficulty;  but  afterward  I  could  hardly 
speak.  Being  better  the  next  day,  Sunday,  April  i,  I 
preached  about  one  at  Westwood  Side,  and  soon  after 
four,  in  the  market-place  at  Epworth,  to  a  numerous 
congregation.  At  first,  indeed,  but  few  could  hear ;  but 
the  more  I  spoke,  the  more  my  voice  was  strengthened, 
till  toward  the  close,  all  my  pain  and  weakness  were 
gone,  and  all  could  hear  distinctly. 

Mon.  April  2. — I  had  a  day  of  rest.  Tuesday,  3,  I 
preached,  about  nine,  at  Scotter,  a  town  six  or  seven  miles 
east  of  Epworth,  where  a  sudden  flame  is  broke  out,  many 
being  convinced  of  sin  almost  at  once,  and  many  justified. 
But  there  were  many  adversaries  stirred  up  by  a  bad 
man,  who  told  them,  "  There  is  no  law  for  Methodists." 
Hence  continual  riots  followed ;  till,  after  a  while,  an 
upright  magistrate  took  the  cause  in  hand,  and  so 
managed  both  the  rioters  and  him  who  set  them  at  work, 
that  they  have  been  quiet  as  lambs  ever  since. 


March  1764    TWO  BOLD  METHODISTS  SOS 

Thur.  5. — About  eleven  I  preached  at  Elsham.  The 
two  persons  who  are  the  most  zealous  and  active  here 
are  the  steward  and  gardener  of  a  gentleman,  whom  the 
minister  persuaded  to  turn  them  off  unless  they  would 
leave  "  this  way."  He  gave  them  a  week  to  consider  of 
it ;  at  the  end  of  which  they  calmly  answered,  "  Sir,  we 
choose  rather  to  want  bread  here,  than  to  want  '  a  drop 
of  water '  hereafter."  He  replied,  "  Then  follow  your 
own  conscience,  so  you  do  my  business  as  well  as 
formerly." 

Fri.  6. — I  preached  at  Ferry  at  nine  in  the  morning, 
and  in  the  evening ;  and,  about  noon,  in  Sir  N.  H.'s 
hall,  at  Gainsborough.  Almost  as  soon  as  I  began  to 
speak,  a  cock  began  to  crow  over  my  head ;  but  he  was 
quickly  dislodged,  and  the  whole  congregation,  rich  and 
poor,  were  quiet  and  attentive. 

Wesley  Unhorsed 
Sun,  8. — I  set  out  for  Misterton,  though  the  common 
road  was  impassable,  being  all  under  water;  but  we 
found  a  way  to  ride  round.  I  preached  at  eight,  and  I 
saw  not  one  inattentive  hearer.  In  our  return,  my 
mare  rushing  violently  through  a  gate,  struck  my  heel 
against  the  gate-post,  and  left  me  behind  her  in  an 
instant,  laid  on  my  back  at  full  length.  She  stood  still 
till  I  rose  and  mounted  again ;  and  neither  of  us  was 
hurt  at  all. 

Tues.  10. — The  wind  abating,  we  took  boat  at  Barton, 
with  two  such  brutes  as  I  have  seldom  seen.  Their 
blasphemy,  and  stupid  gross  obscenity,  were  beyond  all 
I  ever  heard.  We  first  spoke  to  them  mildly ;  but  it 
had  no  effect.  At  length  we  were  constrained  to  rebuke 
them  sharply ;  and  they  kept  themselves  tolerably  within 
bounds,  till  we  landed  at  Hull.    I  preached  at  five,  two 

u 


30()  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1764 

hours  sooner  than  was  expected  ;  by  this  means  we  had 
tolerable  room  for  the  greatest  part  of  them  that  came; 
and  I  believe  not  many  of  them  came  in  vain. 

Mon.  16. — At  six  I  began  preaching  in  the  street  at 
Thirsk.  The  congregation  was  exceeding  large.  Just 
as  I  named  my  text,  "  What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he 
shall  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  "  a 
man  on  horseback,  who  had  stopped  to  see  what  was 
the  matter,  changed  colour  and  trembled.  Probably  he 
might  have  resolved  to  save  his  soul,  had  not  his 
drunken  companion  dragged  him  away. 

Wesley  on  Holy  Island 
Mon.  May  2 1 . — I  took  my  leave  of  Newcastle ;  and 
about  noon  preached  in  the  market-place  at  Morpeth. 
A  few  of  the  hearers  were  a  little  ludicrous  at  first ;  but 
their  mirth  was  quickly  spoiled.  In  the  evening  I 
preached  in  the  Court-house  at  Alnwick,  where  I  rested 
the  next  day.  Wednesday,  23.  I  rode  over  the  sands  to 
Holy  Island,  once  the  famous  seat  of  a  Bishop ;  now  the 
residence  of  a  few  poor  families,  who  live  chiefly  by  fish- 
ing. At  one  side  of  the  town  are  the  ruins  of  a 
cathedral,  with  an  adjoining  monastery.  It  appears  to 
have  been  a  lofty  and  elegant  building,  the  middle  aisle 
being  almost  entire.  I  preached  in  what  was  once  the 
market-place,  to  almost  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  island, 
and  distributed  some  little  books  among  them,  for  which 
they  were  exceeding  thankful.  In  the  evening  I 
preached  at  Berwick-upon-Tweed ;  the  next  evening  at 
Dunbar;  and  on  Friday,  25,  about  ten,  at  Haddington, 
in  Provost  D.'s  yard,  to  a  very  elegant  congregation. 
But  I  expect  little  good  will  be  done  here;  for  we  begin 
at  the  wrong  end  :  religion  must  not  go  from  the  greatest 
to  the  least,  or  the  power  would  appear  to  be  of  men. 


May  1764    PREACHES  ON  CALTON  HILL  307 

In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Musselborough ;  and 
the  next,  on  the  Calton  Hill  at  Edinburgh.  It  being  the 
time  of  the  General  Assembly,  many  of  the  Ministers 
were  there.  The  wind  was  high  and  sharp,  and  blew 
away  a  few  delicate  ones.  But  most  of  the  congregation 
did  not  stir  till  I  had  concluded. 

Sun.  27. — At  seven  I  preached  in  the  High  School 
yard,  on  the  other  side  of  the  city.  The  morning  was 
extremely  cold.  In  the  evening  it  blew  a  storm.  How- 
ever, having  appointed  to  be  on  the  Calton  Hill,  I  began 
there,  to  an  huge  congregation.  At  first,  the  wind  was 
a  httle  troublesome ;  but  I  soon  forgot  it.  And  so  did 
the  people  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  in  which  I  fully 
delivered  my  own  soul. 

"Wesley  at  the  General  Assembly 
Mon.  28. — I  spent  some  hours  at  the  General 
Assembly,  composed  of  about  an  hundred  and  fifty 
ministers.  I  was  surprised  to  find  i.  That  any  one 
was  admitted,  even  lads,  twelve  or  fourteen  years  old : 
2.  That  the  chief  speakers  were  lawyers,  six  or  seven 
on  one  side  only  :  3.  That  a  single  question  took  up 
the  whole  time,  which,  when  I  went  away,  seemed  to 
be  as  far  from  a  conclusion  as  ever,  namely,  "  Shall  Mr. 
Lindsay  be  removed  to  Kilmarnock  parish  or  not  ? " 
The  argument  for  it  was,  "  He  has  a  large  family,  and 
this  living  is  twice  as  good  as  his  own."  The  argument 
against  it  was,  "  The  people  are  resolved  not  to  hear 
him,  and  will  leave  the  kirk  if  he  comes."  If  then  the 
real  point  in  view  had  been,  as  their  law  directs,  "  the 
greater  good  of  the  Church,"  instead  of  taking  up  five 
hours,  the  debate  might  have  been  determined  in  five 
minutes. 

On  Monday  and  Tuesday  I  spoke  to  the  members  of 


308  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1764 

the  society  severally.  Thursday,  31.  I  rode  to  Dundee, 
and,  about  half  an  hour  after  six,  preached  on  the  side 
of  a  meadow  near  the  town.  Poor  and  rich  attended. 
Indeed,  there  is^  seldom  fear  of  wanting  a  congregation 
in  Scotland.  But  the  misfortune  is,  they  know  every- 
thing :  so  they  learn  nothing. 

At  Inverness 

Thur.  June  7. — I  rode  over  to  Sir  Archibald  Grant's, 
twelve  computed  miles  from  Aberdeen.  It  is  surprising 
to  see  how  the  country  between  is  improved  even  within 
these  three  years.  On  every  side  the  wild,  dreary  moors 
are  ploughed  up,  and  covered  with  rising  corn.  All  the 
ground  near  Sir  Archibald's,  in  particular,  is  as  well 
cultivated  as  most  in  England.  About  seven  I  preached. 
The  kirk  was  pretty  well  filled,  though  upon  short 
notice.  Certainly  this  is  a  nation  "  swift  to  hear,  and 
slow  to  speak,"  though  not  "  slow  to  wrath." 

Sun.  10. — About  eight  we  reached  Inverness.  I 
could  not  preach  abroad,  because  of  the  rain  ;  nor  could 
I  hear  of  any  convenient  room ;  so  that  I  was  afraid  my 
coming  hither  would  be  in  vain,  all  ways  seemed  to  be 
blocked  up.  At  ten  I  went  to  the  kirk.  After 
service,  Mr.  Eraser,  one  of  the  ministers,  invited  us  to 
dinner,  and  then  to  drink  tea.  As  we  were  drinking  tea, 
he  asked  at  what  hour  I  would  please  to  preach.  I  said, 
"  At  half-hour  past  five."  The  high  kirk  was  filled  in  a 
very  short  time ;  and  I  have  seldom  found  greater 
liberty  of  spirit.  The  other  minister  came  afterwards  to 
our  inn,  and  showed  the  most  cordial  affection.  Were 
it  only  for  this  day,  I  should  not  have  regretted  the  riding 
an  hundred  miles. 

Mon.  II. — A  gentleman  who  lives  three  miles  from 
the  town  invited  me  to  his  house,  assuring  me  the 


June  1764       LOVERS  OF  SERMONS  S09 


minister  of  his  parish  would  be  glad  if  I  would  make  use 
of  his  kirk ;  but  time  would  not  permit,  as  I  had  ap- 
pointed to  be  at  Aberdeen  on  Wednesday.  All  I  could 
do  was,  to  preach  once  more  at  Inverness.  I  think  the 
church  was  fuller  now  than  before;  and  I  could  not 
but  observe  the  remarkable  behaviour  of  the  whole 
congregation  after  service.  Neither  man,  woman,  nor 
child  spoke  one  word  all  the  way  down  the  main 
street.  Indeed  the  seriousness  of  the  people  is  the 
less  surprising,  when  it  is  considered,  that,  for  at  least 
an  hundred  years,  this  town  has  had  such  a  succes- 
sion of  pious  ministers  as  very  few  in  Great  Britain 
have  known. 

After  Edinburgh,  Glasgow,  and  Aberdeen,  I  think 
Inverness  is  the  largest  town  I  have  seen  m  Scotland. 
The  main  streets  are  broad  and  straight ;  the  houses 
mostly  old,  but  not  very  bad,  nor  very  good.  It  stands 
in  a  pleasant  and  fruitful  country,  and  has  all  things 
needful  for  life  and  godliness.  The  people  in  general 
speak  remarkably  good  English,  and  are  of  a  friendly 
courteous  behaviour. 

A  Sermon  and  Congregation  to  Order 

About  eleven  we  took  horse.  While  we  were  dining 
at  Nairn,  the  inn-keeper  said,  "  Sir,  the  gentlemen  of 
the  town  have  read  the  little  book  you  gave  me  on 
Saturday,  and  would  be  glad  if  you  would  please  to 
give  them  a  sermon."  Upon  my  consenting,  the  bell 
was  immediately  rung,  and  the  congregation  was  quickly 
in  the  kirk.  O  what  a  difference  is  there  between  South 
and  North  Britain !  Every  one  here  at  least  loves  to 
hear  the  word  of  God ;  and  none  takes  it  into  his  head  j 
to  speak  one  uncivil  word  to  any,  for  endeavouring  to 
save  their  souls. 


310  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  176+ 

Doubting  whether  Mr.  Grant  was  come  home,  Mr. 
Kershaw  called  at  the  Grange  Green,  near  Forres,  while 
I  rode  forward.  Mr.  Grant  soon  called  me  back.  I 
have  seldom  seen  a  more  agreeable  place.  The  house 
is  an  old  castle,  which  stands  on  a  little  hill,  with  a 
delightful  prospect  all  four  ways ;  and  the  hospitable 
master  has  left  nothing  undone  to  make  it  still  more 
agreeable.  He  showed  us  all  his  improvements,  which 
are  very  considerable  in  every  branch  of  husbandry.  In 
his  gardens  many  things  were  more  forward  than  at 
Aberdeen,  yea,  or  Newcastle.  And  how  is  it,  that  none 
but  one  Highland  gentleman  has  discovered  that  we 
have  a  tree  in  Britain,  as  easily  raised  as  an  ash ;  the 
wood  of  which  is  of  full  as  fine  a  red  as  mahogany, 
namely,  the  laburnum  ?  I  defy  any  mahogany  to  exceed 
the  chairs  which  he  has  lately  made  of  this. 

Tues.  12. — We  rode  through  the  pleasant  and  fertile 
county  of  Murray  to  Elgin.  I  never  suspected  before 
that  there  was  any  such  country  as  this  near  an  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  beyond  Edinburgh;  a  country  which  is 
supposed  to  have  generally  six  weeks  more  sunshine  in  a 
year  than  any  part  of  Great  Britain. 

At  Elgin  are  the  ruins  of  a  noble  cathedral ;  the  largest 
that  I  remember  to  have  seen  in  the  kingdom.  We  rode 
thence  to  the  Spey,  the  most  rapid  river,  next  the  Rhine, 
that  I  ever  saw.  Though  the  water  was  not  breast-high 
to  our  horses,  they  could  very  hardly  keep  their  feet. 
We  dined  at  Keith,  and  rode  on  to  Strathbogie,  much 
improved  by  the  linen-manufacture.  All  the  country 
from  Fochabers  to  Strathbogie  has  little  houses  scattered 
up  and  down ;  and  not  only  the  valleys,  but  the  moun- 
tains themselves,  are  improved  with  the  utmost  care. 
There  want  only  more  trees  to  make  them  more  pleasant 
than  most  of  the  mountains  in  England.    The  whole 


June  1764         NINETY-MILE  RIDE  511 

family  at  our  inn,  eleven  or  twelve  in  number,  gladly 
joined  with  us  in  prayer  at  night.  Indeed,  so  they  did 
at  every  inn  where  we  lodged  ;  for  among  all  the  sins 
they  have  imported  from  England,  the  Scots  have  not 
yet  learned,  at  least  not  the  common  people,  to  scoff  at 
sacred  things. 

Wed.  13. — We  reached  Aberdeen  about  one.  Between 
six  and  seven,  both  this  evening  and  the  next  I  preached 
in  the  shell  of  the  new  house,  and  found  it  a  time  of 
much  consolation.  Friday,  15.  We  set  out  early,  and 
came  to  Dundee  just  as  the  boat  was  going  off.  We 
designed  to  lodge  at  the  house  on  the  other  side ;  but 
could  not  get  either  meat,  drink,  or  good  words  ;  so  we 
were  constrained  to  ride  on  to  Cupar.  After  travelling 
near  ninety  miles,  I  found  no  weariness  at  all ;  neither 
were  our  horses  hurt.  Thou,  O  Lord,  dost  save  both 
man  and  beast ! 

Wesley  and  a  Scotch  Communion 
Sat.  16. — We  had  a  ready  passage  at  Kinghorn,  and 
in  the  evening  I  preached  on  the  Calton  Hill,  to  a  very 
large  congregation ;  but  a  still  larger  assembled  at  seven 
on  Sunday  morning  in  the  High  School  yard.  Being 
afterwards  informed  that  the  Lord's  supper  was  to  be 
administered  in  the  west  kirk,  I  knew  not  what  to  do ; 
but  at  length  I  judged  it  best  to  embrace  the  opportunity, 
though  I  did  not  admire  the  manner  of  administration. 
After  the  usual  morning  service,  the  minister  enumerated 
several  sorts  of  sinners,  whom  he  forbade  to  approach. 
Two  long  tables  were  set  on  the  sides  of  one  aisle, 
covered  with  table-cloths.  On  each  side  of  them  a  bench 
was  placed  for  the  people.  Each  table  held  four  or  five 
and  thirty. 

Three  ministers  sat  at  the  top,  behind  a  cross-table ; 


312  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1764 

one  of  whom  made  a  long  exhortation,  closed  with  the 
words  of  our  Lord  ;  and,  then,  breaking  the  bread,  gave 
it  to  him  who  sat  on  each  side  him.  A  piece  of  bread 
was  then  given  to  him  who  sat  first  on  each  of  the  four 
benches.  He  broke  off  a  little  piece,  and  gave  the 
bread  to  the  next;  so  it  went  on,  the  deacons  giving 
more  when  wanted.  A  cup  was  then  given  to  the  first 
person  on  each  bench,  and  so  by  one  to  another.  The 
minister  continued  his  exhortation  all  the  time  they 
were  receiving ;  then  four  verses  of  the  twenty-second 
Psalm  were  sung,  while  new  persons  sat  down  at  the 
tables.  A  second  minister  then  prayed,  consecrated, 
and  exhorted.  I  was  informed  the  service  usually 
lasted  till  five  in  the  evening.  How  much  more  simple, 
as  well  as  more  solemn,  is  the  service  of  the  Church  of 
England ! 

The  evening  congregation  on  the  hill  was  far  the 
largest  I  have  seen  in  the  kingdom;  and  the  most 
deeply  affected.  Many  were  in  tears ;  more  seemed  cut 
to  the  heart.  Surely  this  time  will  not  soon  be  forgotten. 
Will  it  not  appear  in  the  annals  of  eternity? 

"Wesley's  Likes  and  Dislikes 
Mon.  July  2. — I  gave  a  fair  hearing  to  two  of  our 
brethren  who  had  proved  bankrupts.  Such  we  immediately 
exclude  from  our  society,  unless  it  plainly  appears  not 
to  be  their  own  fault.  Both  these  were  in  a  prosperous 
way  till  they  fell  into  that  wretched  trade  of  bill-broking, 
wherein  no  man  continues  long  without  being  wholly 
ruined.  By  this  means,  not  being  sufficiently  accurate 
in  their  accounts,  they  ran  back  without  being  sensible 

of  it.     Yet  it  was  quite  clear  that  I          R   is 

an  honest  man ;  I  would  hope  the  same  concerning  the 
other. 


JuLYi76|     AN  APPEAL  TO  GALLIC  313 

Tues.  3  (Leeds). — I  was  reflecting  on  an  odd  circum- 
stance, which  I  cannot  account  for.  I  never  relish  a 
tune  at  first  hearing,  not  till  I  have  almost  learned  to 
sing  it;  and  as  I  learn  it  more  perfectly,  I  gradually 
lose  my  relish  for  it.  I  observe  something  similar  in 
poetry  ;  yea,  in  all  the  objects  of  imagination.  I  seldom 
relish  verses  at  first  hearing;  till  I  have  heard  them 
over  and  over,  they  give  me  no  pleasure ;  and  they  give 
me  next  to  none  when  I  have  heard  them  a  few  times 
more,  so  as  to  be  quite  familiar.  Just  so  a  face  or  a 
picture,  which  does  not  strike  me  at  first,  becomes  more 
pleasing  as  I  grow  more  acquainted  with  it ;  but  only 
to  a  certain  point :  for  when  I  am  too  much  acquainted, 
it  is  no  longer  pleasing.  O,  how  imperfectly  do  we 
understand  even  the  machine  which  we  carry  about 
us  ! 

Thur.  5. — I  had  the  comfort  of  leaving  our  brethren 
at  Leeds  united  in  peace  and  love.  About  one  I 
preached  in  a  meadow  at  Wakefield.  At  first  the  sun 
was  inconvenient ;  but  it  was  not  many  minutes  before 
that  inconvenience  was  removed  by  the  clouds  coming 
between.  We  had  not  only  a  larger,  but  a  far  more 
attentive,  congregation  than  ever  was  seen  here  before. 
One,  indeed,  a  kind  of  gentleman,  was  walking  away 
with  great  unconcern,  when  I  spoke  aloud.  "  Does 
Gallio  care  for  none  of  these  things  ?  But  where  will 
you  go,  with  the  wrath  of  God  on  your  head,  and  the 
curse  of  God  on  your  back  ? "  He  stopped  short, 
stood  still,  and  went  no  farther  till  the  sermon  was 
ended. 

Sat.  14. — In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Liverpool; 
and  the  next  day,  Sunday,  15,  the  house  was  full 
enough.  Many  of  the  rich  and  fashionable  were  there, 
and  behaved  with  decency.    Indeed,  I  have  always 


S14  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1764 

observed  more  courtesy  and  humanity  at  Liverpool  than 
at  most  sea-ports  in  England. 

She  Thought,  "I  Laugh  Prettily." 

Mon.  16. — In  the  evening  the  house  was  fuller,  if 
possible,  than  the  night  before.  I  preached  on  the 
"  one  thing  needful "  ;  and  the  rich  behaved  as 
seriously  as  the  poor.  Only  one  young  gentlewoman 
(I  heard)  laughed  much.  Poor  thing  !  Doubtless  she 
thought,  "  I  laugh  prettily." 

Fri.  20. — At  noon  we  made  the  same  shift  at 
Congleton  as  when  I  was  here  last.  I  stood  in  the 
window,  having  put  as  many  women  as  it  would  contain 
into  the  house.  The  rest,  with  the  men,  stood  below  in 
the  meadow,  and  many  of  the  townsmen  wild  enough. 
I  have  scarce  found  such  enlargement  of  heart  since  I 
came  from  Newcastle.  The  brutes  resisted  long,  but 
were  at  length  overcome;  not  above  five  or  six  excepted. 
Surely  man  shall  not  long  have  the  upper  hand  ;  God  will 
get  unto  himself  the  victory. 

It  rained  all  the  day  till  seven  in  the  evening,  when  I 
began  preaching  at  Burslem.  Even  the  poor  potters 
here  are  a  more  civilised  people  than  the  better  sort  (so 
called)  at  Congleton.  A  few  stood  with  their  hats  on ; 
but  none  spoke  a  word,  or  offered  to  make  the  least 
disturbance. 

Sat.  21. — I  rode  to  Bilbrook,  near  Wolverhampton, 
and  preached  between  two  and  three.  Thence  we  went 
on  to  Madeley,  an  exceeding  pleasant  village,  encom- 
passed with  trees  and  hills.  It  was  a  great  comfort  to 
me  to  converse  once  more  with  a  Methodist  of  the  old 
stamp,  denying  himself,  taking  up  his  cross,  and 
resolved  to  be  "  altogether  a  Christian." 

Sun.  22  At  ten  Mr.  Fletcher  read  prayers,  and  I 


July  1764     WESLEY  LOSES  HIS  WAY  315 

preached  on  those  words  in  the  gospel,  "  I  am  the  good 
Shepherd :  the  good  Shepherd  layeth  down  his  life  for 
the  sheep."  The  church  would  nothing  near  contain 
the  congregation ;  but  a  window  near  the  pulpit  being 
taken  down,  those  who  could  not  come  in  stood  in  the 
churchyard,  and  I  believe  all  could  hear.  The  congre- 
gation, they  said,  used  to  be  much  smaller  in  the 
afternoon  than  in  the  morning  ;  but  I  could  not  discern 
the  least  difference,  either  in  number  or  seriousness. 

I  found  employment  enough  for  the  intermediate 
hours,  in  praying  with  various  companies  who  hung 
about  the  house,  insatiably  hungering  and  thirsting  after 
the  good  word. 

An  Exhausting  Day 

Wed.  25. — I  took  horse  a  little  after  four,  and,  about 
two,  preached  in  the  market-place  at  Llanidloes,  two  or 
three  and  forty  miles  from  Shrewsbury.  At  three  we 
rode  forward  through  the  mountains  to  the  Fountain- 
head.    I  was  for  lodging  there  ;  but  Mr.  B   being 

quite  unwilling,  we  mounted  again  about  seven.  After 
having  rode  an  hour,  we  found  we  were  quite  out  of  the 
way,  having  been  wrong  directed  at  setting  out.  We 
were  then  told  to  ride  over  some  grounds ;  but  our 
path  soon  ended  in  the  edge  of  a  bog  :  however,  we  got 
through  to  a  little  house,  where  an  honest  man,  instantly 
mounting  his  horse,  galloped  before  us,  up  hill  and 
down,  till  he  brought  us  into  a  road,  which,  he  said,  led 
straight  to  Roes-fair. 

We  rode  on,  till  another  met  us,  and  said,  "  No ; 
this  is  the  way  to  Aberystwith.  If  you  go  to  Roes-fair, 
you  must  turn  back,  and  ride  down  to  yonder  bridge." 
The  master  of  a  little  house  near  the  bridge  then 
directed  us  to  the  next  village,  where  we  inquired  again 


316 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


July  1764 


(it  being  past  nine),  and  were  once  more  set  exactly 
wrong.  Having  wandered  an  hour  upon  the  mountains, 
through  rocks,  and  bogs,  and  precipices,  we,  with 
abundance  of  difficulty,  got  back  to  the  Uttle  house 
near  the  bridge.  It  was  in  vain  to  think  of  rest  there, 
it  being  full  of  drunken,  roaring  miners;  besides  that, 
there  was  but  one  bed  in  the  house,  and  neither  grass, 
nor  hay,  nor  corn,  to  be  had.  So  we  hired  one  of  them 
to  walk  with  us  to  Roes-fair,  though  he  was  miserably 
drunk,  till,  by  falling  all  his  length  in  a  purling  stream, 
he  came  tolerably  to  his  senses.  Between  eleven  and 
twelve  we  came  to  the  inn ;  but  neither  here  could  we 
get  any  hay. 

When  we  were  in  bed,  the  good  hostler  and  miner 
thought  good  to  mount  our  beasts.  I  believe  it  was  not 
long  before  we  rose  that  they  put  them  into  the  stable. 
But  the  mule  was  cut  in  several  places,  and  my  mare 
was  bleeding  like  a  pig,  from  a  wound  behind,  two 
inches  deep,  made,  it  seemed,  by  a  stroke  with  a  pitch- 
fork. What  to  do  we  could  not  tell,  till  I  remembered, 
I  had  a  letter  for  one  Mr.  Nathaniel  Williams,  whom, 
upon  inquiry,  I  found  to  live  but  a  mile  off.  We 
walked  thither,  and  found  "an  IsraeUte  indeed,"  who 
gladly  received  both  man  and  beast. 

After  I  had  got  a  little  rest,  Mr.  W.  desired  me  to 
give  an  exhortation  to  a  few  of  his  neighbours.  None 
was  more  struck  therewith  than  one  of  his  own  family, 
who  before  cared  for  none  of  these  things.  He  sent  a 
servant  with  us  after  dinner  to  Tregarron,  from  whence 
we  had  a  plain  road  to  Lampeter. 

Fri.  27. — We  rode  through  a  lovely  vale,  and  over 
pleasant  and  fruitful  hills,  to  Carmarthen.  Thence,  after 
a  short  bait,  we  went  on  to  Peniliroke,  and  came  before 
I  was  expected;  so  I  rested  that  night,  having  not 


July  176+  THE  MAYOR'S  BEHAVIOUR  Sl7 
quite  recovered  my  journey  from  Shrewsbury  to  Roes- 
fair. 

Sun.  29. — The  minister  of  St.  Mary's  sent  me  word 
he  was  very  willing  I  should  preach  in  his  church  :  but, 
before  service  began,  the  mayor  sent  to  forbid  it ;  so  he 
preached  a  very  useful  sermon  himself.  The  mayor's 
behaviour  so  disgusted  many  of  the  gentry,  that  they 
resolved  to  hear  where  they  could ;  and  accordingly 
flocked  together  in  the  evening  from  all  parts  of  the 
town  :  and  perhaps  the  taking  up  this  cross  may  profit 
them  more  than  my  sermon  in  the  church  would  have 
done. 

Seven  Houfs  on  Horseback 

Mon.  30. — I  rode  to  Haverfordwest :  but  no  notice 
had  been  given,  nor  did  any  in  the  town  know  of  my 
coming.  However,  after  a  short  time,  I  walked  up 
toward  the  castle,  and  began  singing  an  hymn.  The 
people  presently  ran  together  from  all  quarters.  They 
have  curiosity  at  least ;  and  some,  I  cannot  doubt,  were 
moved  by  a  nobler  principle.  Were  zealous  and  active 
labourers  here,  what  an  harvest  might  there  be,  even  in 
this  corner  of  the  land!  We  returned  through  heavy 
rain  to  Pembroke. 

Tues.  31.  We  set  out  for  Glamorganshire,  and  rode 
up  and  down  steep  and  stony  mountains,  for  about  five 
hours,  to  Larn.  Having  procured  a  pretty  ready  passage 
there,  we  went  on  to  Lansteffan  Ferry,  where  we  were  in 
some  danger  of  being  swallowed  up  in  the  mud  before 
we  could  reach  the  water.  Between  one  and  two  we 
reached  Kidwelly,  having  been  more  than  seven  hours 
on  horseback,  in  which  time  we  could  have  rode  round 
by  Carmarthen  with  more  ease  both  to  man  and  beast. 

I  havC;  therefore,  taken  my  leave  of  these  ferries; 


318  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  No\m764 

considering  we  save  no  time  by  crossing  them  (not  even 
when  we  have  a  ready  passage),  and  so  have  all  the 
trouble,  danger,  and  expense,  clear  gains.  I  wonder 
that  any  man^of  common  sense,  who  has  once  made  the 
experiment,  should  ever  ride  from  Pembroke  to  Swansea 
any  other  way  than  by  Carmarthen. 

The  Ride  from  Pembroke  to  Swansea 

An  honest  man  at  Kidwelly  told  us  there  was  no 
difficulty  in  riding  the  sands ;  so  we  rode  on.  In  ten 
mmutes  one  overtook  us  who  used  to  guide  persons  over 
them  ;  and  it  was  well  he  did,  or,  in  all  probability,  we 
had  been  swallowed  up.  The  whole  sands  are  at  least  ten 
miles  over,  with  many  streams  of  quicksands  intermixed. 
But  our  guide  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  them,  and 
with  the  road  on  the  other  side.  By  his  help,  between 
five  and  six,  we  came  well  tired  to  Oxwych  in  Gower. 

I  had  sent  two  persons  on  Sunday,  that  they  might  be 
there  early  on  Monday,  and  so  sent  notice  of  my  coming 
all  over  the  country  :  but  they  came  to  Oxwych  scarce  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  before  me ;  so  that  the  poor  people 
had  no  notice  at  all :  nor  was  there  any  to  take  us  in ; 
the  person  with  whom  the  preacher  used  to  lodge  being 
three  miles  out  of  town.  After  I  had  stayed  a  while  in 
the  street  (for  there  was  no  public-house),  a  poor  woman 
gave  me  house  room.  Having  had  nothing  since  break- 
fast, I  was  very  willing  to  eat  or  drink ;  but  she  simply 
told  me,  she  had  nothing  in  the  house  but  a  dram  of  gin. 
However,  I  afterwards  procured  a  dish  of  tea  at  another 
house,  and  was  much  refreshed.  About  seven  I  preached 
to  a  little  company,  and  again  in  the  morning.  They 
were  all  attention;  so  that  even  for  the  sake  of  this 
handful  of  people  I  did  not  regret  my  labour. 

Sun.  November  4. — I  proposed  to  the  leaders,  the 


Jan.  1765     WESLEY  AND  BACHELORS  319 


assisting  the  Society  for  the  Reformation  of  Manners 
with  regard  to  their  heavy  debt.  One  of  them  asked, 
"  Ought  we  not  to  pay  our  own  debt  first  ?  "  After  some 
consultations,  it  was  agreed  to  attempt  it.  The  general 
debt  of  the  society  in  London  occasioned  chiefly  by 
repairing  the  Foundery  and  chapels,  and  by  building  at 
Wapping  and  Snowsfields,  was  about  nine  hundred 
pounds.  This  I  laid  before  the  society  in  the  evening, 
and  desired  them  all  to  set  their  shoulders  to  the  work, 
either  by  a  present  contribution,  or  by  subscribing  what 
they  could  pay,  on  the  ist  of  January,  February  or 
March. 

Mon.  5  (London). — My  scraps  of  time  this  week 
I  employed  in  setting  down  my  present  thoughts  upon  a 
single  life,  which  indeed,  are  just  the  same  they  have 
been  these  thirty  years ;  and  the  same  they  must  be, 
unless  I  give  up  my  Bible. 

Wesley's  Experiments  with  Lions 

Mon.  Dec.  31. — I  thought  it  would  be  worth  while  to 
make  an  odd  experiment.  Remembering  how  surprisingly 
fond  of  music  the  lion  at  Edinburgh  was,  I  determined 
to  try  whether  this  was  the  case  with  all  animals  of  the 
same  kind.  I  accordingly  went  to  the  Tower  with  one 
who  plays  on  the  German  flute.  He  began  playing  near 
four  or  five  lions ;  only  one  of  these  (the  rest  not  seem- 
ing to  regard  it  at  all)  rose  up,  came  to  the  front  of  his 
den,  and  seemed  to  be  all  attention.  Meantime,  a  tiger 
in  the  same  den  started  up,  leaped  over  the  lion's  back, 
turned  and  ran  under  his  belly,  leaped  over  him  again, 
and  so  to  and  fro  incessantly.  Can  we  account  for  this 
by  any  principle  of  mechanism  ?  Can  we  account  for  it 
at  all? 

1765.   Tues.  January  i. — This  week  I  wrote  an 


320 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Nov.  1765 


answer  to  a  warm  letter,  published  in  the  "  London 
Magazine,"  the  author  whereof  is  much  displeased  that 
I  presume  to  doubt  of  the  modern  astronomy.  I  cannot 
help  it.  Nay,  ^he  more  I  consider,  the  more  my  doubts 
increase :  so  that,  at  present,  I  doubt  whether  any  man 
on  earth  knows  either  the  distance  or  magnitude,  I  will 
not  say  of  a  fixed  star,  but  of  Saturn,  or  Jupiter ;  yea,  of 
the  sun  or  moon. 

Sun.  20. — I  employed  all  my  leisure  hours  this  week 
in  revising  my  letters  and  papers.  Abundance  of  them 
I  committed  to  the  flames.  Perhaps  some  of  the  rest 
may  see  the  light  when  I  am  gone. 

Breakfast  with  Mr.  Whitefield 
Mon.    October  21. — I   went  in   the   coach  from 
Bristol  to  Salisbury,  and  on  Thursday,  24,  came  to 
London. 

Mon.  28. — I  breakfasted  with  Mr.  Whitefield,  who 
seemed  to  be  an  old,  old  man,  being  fairly  worn 
out  in  his  Master's  service,  though  he  has  hardly 
seen  fifty  years,  and  yet  it  pleases  God  that  I,  who  am 
now  in  my  sixty-third  year,  find  no  disorder,  no  weakness, 
no  decay,  no  difference  from  what  I  was  at  five-and- 
twenty;  only  that  I  have  fewer  teeth,  and  more  grey 
hairs. 

Sun.  November  24. — I  preached  on  those  words  in 
the  lesson  for  the  day,  "  The  Lord  our  righteousness." 
I  said  not  one  thing  which  I  have  not  said,  at  least,  fifty 
times  within  this  twelvemonth ;  yet  it  appeared  to  many 
entirely  new,  who  much  importuned  me  to  print  my 
sermon,  supposing  it  would  stop  the  mouths  of  all  gain- 
sayers.  Alas,  for  their  simplicity  !  In  spite  of  all  I  can 
print,  say,  or  do,  will  not  those  who  seek  occasion  of 
offence  find  occasion  ? 


Dec.  1765      WESLEY'S  HORSE  FALLS 


S21 


Tues.  December  3 — I  rode  to  Dover,  and  found  a 
little  company  more  united  together  than  they  have  been 
for  many  years.  Whilst  several  of  them  continued  to 
rob  the  King,  we  seemed  to  be  ploughing  upon  the  sand; 
but  since  they  have  cut  off  the  right  hand,  the  word  of 
God  sinks  deep  into  their  hearts. 

Thur.  5. — I  rode  back  to  Feversham.  Here  I  was 
quickly  informed  that  the  mob  and  the  magistrates  had 
agreed  together  to  drive  Methodism,  so  called,  out  of  the 
town.  After  preaching,  I  told  them  what  we  had  been 
constrained  to  do  by  the  magistrate  at  Rolvenden ;  who 
perhaps  would  have  been  richer,  by  some  hundred 
pounds,  had  he  never  meddled  with  the  Methodists ; 
concluding,  "  Since  we  have  both  God  and  the  law  on 
our  side,  if  we  can  have  peace  by  fair  means,  we  had 
much  rather ;  we  should  be  exceeding  glad ;  but  if  not, 
we  will  have  peace." 

Wed.  18. — Riding  through  the  Borough,  all  my  mare's 
feet  flew  up,  and  she  fell  with  my  leg  under  her.  A 
gentleman,  stepping  out,  lifted  me  up,  and  helped  me 
into  his  shop.  I  was  exceeding  sick,  but  was  presently 
relieved  by  a  little  hartshorn  and  water.  After  resting  a 
few  minutes,  I  took  a  coach  ;  but  when  I  was  cold, 
found  myself  much  worse ;  being  bruised  on  my  right 
arm,  my  breast,  my  knee,  leg,  and  ankle,  which  swelled 
exceedingly.  However,  I  went  on  to  Shoreham ;  where 
by  applying  treacle  twice  a  day,  all  the  soreness  was 
removed,  and  I  recovered  some  strength,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  walk  a  little  on  plain  ground.  The  word  of  God 
does  at  length  bear  fruit  here  also,  and  Mr.  P.  is  com- 
forted over  all  his  trouble.  Saturday,  21.  Being  not 
yet  able  to  ride,  I  returned  in  a  chariot  to  London. 

Sun.  22  I  was  ill  able  to  go  through  the  service  at 

West  Street;    but  God  provided  for  this  also.  Mr. 

X 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        April  1766 

Greaves,  being  just  ordained,  came  straight  to  the  chapel, 
and  gave  me  the  assistance  I  wanted. 

Thur.  26. — I  should  have  been  glad  of  a  few  days' 
rest,  but  it  could  not  be  at  this  busy  season.  However, 
being  electrified  morning  and  evening,  my  lameness 
mended,  though  but  slowly. 

1766.  Fri.  Jan.  31. — Mr.  Whitefield  called  upon  me. 
He  breath'.s  nothing  but  peace  and  love.  Bigotry  cannot 
stand  before  him,  but  hides  its  head  wherever  he  comes. 

Two  Deeds 

Wed.  February  5  (London). — One  called  upon  me 

who  had  been  cheated  out  of  a  large  fortune,  and 
was  now  perishing  for  want  of  bread.  I  had  a  desire  to 
clothe  him,  and  send  him  back  to  his  own  country ;  but 
was  short  of  money.  However,  I  appointed  him  to 
call  again  in  an  hour.  He  did  so ;  but  before  he  came, 
one  from  whom  I  expected  nothing  less,  put  twenty 
guineas  into  my  hand ;  so  I  ordered  him  to  be  clothed 
from  head  to  foot,  and  sent  him  straight  away  to 
Dublin. 

Mon.  April  7. — I  preached  at  Warrington,  about 
noon,  to  a  large  congregation,  rich  and  poor,  learned 
and  unlearned.  I  never  spoke  more  plain ;  nor  have  I 
ever  seen  a  congregation  listen  with  more  attention. 
Thence  I  rode  to  Liverpool,  and  thoroughly  regulated  the 
society,  which  had  great  need  of  it.  Wednesday,  9.  I 
took  much  pains  with  a  sensible  woman  who  had  taken 
several  imprudent  steps.  But  it  was  labour  lost — 
neither  argument  nor  persuasion  made  the  least  impres- 
sion. O,  what  power  less  than  almighty  can  convince  a 
thorough  paced  enthusiast  ! 

Thur.  10. — I  looked  over  the  wonderful  deed  which 
was  lately  made  here ;  on  which  I  observed,  i.  It  takes 


Painted  at  the  age  of  63  by  Nathaniel  Hone,  R.  A. 
(National  Portrait  Gallery) 
JOHN  WESLEY  (1703-1791) 


June  1766    AN  ANTI-METHODIST  DEED  323 


up  three  large  skins  of  parchment,  and  so  could  not  cost 
less  than  six  guineas  ;  whereas  our  own  deed,  transcribed 
by  a  friend,  would  not  have  cost  six  shillings.  2.  It  is 
verbose  beyond  all  sense  and  reason ;  and  withal 
so  ambiguously  worded,  that  one  passage  only 
might  find  matter  for  a  suit  of  ten  or  twelve  years 
in  Chancery.  3.  It  everywhere  calls  the  house  a 
meeting-house,  a  name  which  I  particularly  object  to. 
4.  It  leaves  no  power  either  to  the  assistant  or  me,  so 
much  as  to  place  or  displace  a  steward.  5.  Neither  I, 
nor  all  the  Conference,  have  power  to  send  the  same 
preacher  two  years  together.  To  crown  all,  6.  If  a 
preacher  is  not  appointed  at  the  Conference,  the  trustees 
and  the  congregation  are  to  choose  one  by  most  votes  ! 
And  can  any  one  wonder  I  dislike  this  deed,  which 
tears  the  Methodist  discipline  up  by  the  roots  ? 

Is  it  not  strange,  that  any  who  have  the  least  regard 
either  for  me  or  our  discipline,  should  scruple  to  alter 
this  uncouth  deed  ? 

"Wesley  Covered  with  Mud 
Tues.  June  24. — Before  eight  we  reached  Dumfries, 
and  after  a  short  bait  pushed  on  in  hopes  of  reaching 
Solway-frith  before  the  sea  was  come  in.  Designing  to 
call  at  an  inn  by  the  frith  side,  we  inquired  the  way,  and 
were  directed  to  leave  the  main  road,  and  go  straight  to 
the  house  which  we  saw  before  us.  In  ten  minutes 
Duncan  Wright  was  embogged ;  however,  the  horse 
plunged  on,  and  got  through.  I  was  inclined  to  turn 
back :  but  Duncan  telling  me  I  needed  only  go  a  little 
to  the  left,  I  did  so,  and  sunk  at  once  to  my  horse's 
shoulders.  He  sprung  up  twice,  and  twice  sunk  again, 
each  time  deeper  than  before.  At  the  third  plunge  he 
threw  me  on  one  side,  and  we  both  made  shift  to  scramble 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1766 


out.  I  was  covered  with  fine,  soft  mud,  from  my  feet 
to  the  crown  of  my  head ;  yet,  blessed  be  God,  not  hurt 
at  all.  But  we  could  not  cross  till  between  seven  and 
eight  o'clock.  vAn  honest  man  crossed  with  us,  who 
went  two  miles  out  of  his  way  to  guide  us  over  the  sands 
to  Skilburness ;  where  we  found  a  little,  clean  house,  and 
passed  a  comfortable  night. 

Sat.  July  19. — I  took  a  view  of  Beverley  minster, 
such  a  parish  church  as  has  scarce  its  fellow  in  England. 
It  is  a  most  beautiful  as  well  as  stately  building,  both 
within  and  without,  and  is  kept  more  nicely  clean  than 
any  cathedral  which  I  have  seen  in  the  kingdom ;  but 
where  will  it  be  when  the  earth  is  burned  up,  and  the 
elements  melt  with  fervent  heat  ?  About  one  I  preached 
at  Pocklington  (though  my  strength  was  much  exhausted), 
and  in  the  evening  at  York. 

Sun.  27. — As  Baildon  church  would  not  near  contain 
the  congregation,  after  the  prayers  were  ended,  I  came 
out  into  the  church-yard,  both  morning  and  afternoon. 
The  wind  was  extremely  high,  and  blew  in  my  face  all 
the  time ;  yet,  I  believe,  all  the  people  could  hear.  At 
Bradford  there  was  so  huge  a  multitude,  and  the  rain  so 
damped  my  voice,  that  many  in  the  skirts  of  the  con- 
gregation could  not  hear  distinctly.  They  have  just 
built  a  preaching-house,  fifty-four  feet  square,  the  largest 
octagon  we  have  in  England  ;  and  it  is  the  first  of  the 
kind  where  the  roof  is  built  with  common  sense,  rising 
only  a  third  of  its  breadth ;  yet  it  is  as  firm  as  any  in 
England  j  nor  does  it  at  all  hurt  the  walls.  Why  then 
does  any  roof  rise  higher  ?  Only  through  want  of  skill, 
or  want  of  honesty,  in  the  builder. 

Tues.  29. — In  the  evening  I  preached  near  the 
preaching-house  at  Paddiham,  and  strongly  insisted  on 
communion  with  God,  as  the  only  religion  that  would 


Aug.  1766   VERDICT  FOR  METHODISTS  325 


avail  us.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon  came  Mr.  M. 
His  long,  white  beard  showed  that  his  present  disorder 
was  of  some  continuance.  In  all  other  respects,  he  was 
quite  sensible ;  but  he  told  me,  with  much  concern, 
"  You  can  have  no  place  in  heaven  without — a  beard ! 
Therefore,  I  beg,  let  yours  grow  immediately." 

Wesley  Secures  Justice  for  Methodists 
Sat.  Aug.  30. — We  rode  to  Stallbridge,  long  the 
seat  of  war,  by  a  senseless,  insolent  mob,  encouraged  by 
their  betters,  so  called  to  outrage  their  quiet  neighbours. 
For  what  ?  Why,  they  were  mad  :  they  were  Methodists. 
So,  to  bring  them  to  their  senses,  they  would  beat  their 
brains  out.  They  broke  their  windows,  leaving  not  one 
whole  pane  with  glass,  spoiled  their  goods,  and  assaulted 
their  persons  with  dirt,  and  rotten  eggs,  and  stones,  when- 
ever they  appeared  in  the  street  But  no  magistrate, 
though  they  applied  to  several,  would  show  them  either 
mercy  or  justice.  At  length  they  wrote  to  me.  I 
ordered  a  lawyer  to  write  to  the  rioters.  He  did  so ; 
but  they  set  him  at  naught.  We  then  moved  the  Court 
of  King's  Bench.  By  various  artifices,  they  got  the 
trial  put  off,  from  one  assizes  to  another,  for  eighteen 
months.  But  it  fell  so  much  the  heavier  on  themselves, 
when  they  were  found  guilty ;  and,  from  that  time, 
finding  there  is  law  for  ilethodists,  they  have  suffered 
them  to  be  at  peace. 

I  preached  near  the  main  street,  without  the  least 
disturbance,  to  a  large  and  attentive  congregation. 
Therxe  we  rode  on  to  A.\minster,  but  were  throughly  wet 
before  we  came  thither.  The  rain  obliged  me  to  preach 
within  at  six  ;  but  at  seven  on  Sunday  morning,  I  cried 
in  the  market-place,  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand; 
repent  ye,  and  believe  the  Gospel." 


326  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1766 

In  the  evening  I  preached  in  the  street  at  Ashburton. 
Many  behaved  with  decency ;  but  the  rest,  with  such 
stupid  rudeness  as  I  have  not  seen,  for  a  long  time,  in 
any  part  of  England. 

Mon,  September  i. — I  came  to  Plymouth  Dock, 
where,  after  heavy  storms,  there  is  now  a  calm.  The 
house,  notwithstanding  the  new  galleries,  were  extremely 
crowded  in  the  evening.  I  strongly  exhorted  the  back- 
sliders to  return  to  God ;  and  I  believe  many  received 
"  the  word  of  exhortation." 

Tues.  2. — Being  invited  to  preach  in  the  Tabernacle 
at  Plymouth,  I  began  about  two  in  the  afternoon.  In 
the  evening  I  was  offered  the  use  of  Mr.  Whitefield's 
room  at  the  dock;  but,  large  as  it  is,  it  would  not 
contain  the  congregation.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon,  a 
large  stone  was  thrown  in  at  one  of  the  windows,  which 
came  just  behind  me,  and  fell  at  my  feet,  the  best  place 
that  could  have  been  found.  So  no  one  was  hurt 
or  frightened,  not  many  knowing  anything  of  the 
matter. 

Gwennap's  Famous  Amphitheatre 

Sun.  7. — At  eight  I  preached  in  Mousehole,  a  large 
village  south-west  from  Newlyn.  Thence  I  went  to 
Buryan  church,  and,  as  soon  as  the  service  was  ended, 
preached  near  the  church-yard,  to  a  numerous  congre- 
gation. Just  after  I  began,  I  saw  a  gentleman  before 
me,  shaking  his  whip,  and  vehemently  striving  to  say 
something.  But  he  was  abundantly  too  warm  to  say 
anything  intelligibly.  So,  after  walking  a  while  to  and 
fro,  he  wisely  took  horse,  and  rode  away. 

Fri.  12. — I  rode  to  St.  Hilary,  and  in  the  evening 
preached  near  the  new  house  on,  "  Awake,  thou  that 
sleepest."    In  returning  to  my  lodging,  it  being  dark, 


Sept.  1766  TWENTY  THOUSAND  LISTENERS  327 

my  horse  was  just  stepping  into  a  tin-pit,  when  an 
honest  man  caught  him  by  the  bridle,  and  turned  his 
head  the  other  way. 

Sun.  14. — I  preached  in  St.  Agnes  at  eight.  The 
congregation  in  Redruth,  at  one,  was  the  largest  I  ever 
had  seen  there ;  but  small,  compared  to  that  which 
assembled  at  five,  in  the  natural  amphitheatre  at 
Gwennap;  far  the  finest  I  know  in  the  kingdom.  It 
is  a  round,  green  hollow,  gently  shelving  down,  about 
fifty  feet  deep ;  but  I  suppose  it  is  two  hundred  across 
one  way,  and  near  three  hundred  the  other.  I  believe 
there  were  full  twenty  thousand  people;  and,  the 
evening  being  calm,  all  could  hear. 

Mon.  15. — I  preached  at  Cubert,  and  next  morning 
rode  on  to  St.  Columb.  Being  desired  to  break  the  ice 
here,  I  began  preaching,  without  delay,  in  a  gentleman's 
yard  adjoining  to  the  main  street.  I  chose  this,  as 
neither  too  public  nor  too  private.  I  fear  the  greater 
part  of  the  audience  understood  full  little  of  what  they 
heard.  However,  they  behaved  with  seriousness  and 
good  manners. 

Hence  I  rode  to  Port-Isaac,  now  one  of  the  liveliest 
places  in  Cornwall.  The  weather  being  uncertain,  I 
preached  near  the  house.  But  there  was  no  rain  while 
I  preached,  except  the  gracious  rain  which  God  sent 
upon  his  inheritance. 

Here  Mr.  Buckingham  met  me,  who,  for  fear  of 
offending  the  bishop,  broke  off  all  commerce  with  the 
Methodists.  He  had  no  sooner  done  this,  than  the 
bishop  rewarded  him  by  turning  him  out  of  his  curacy; 
which,  had  he  continued  to  walk  in  Christian  simplicity, 
he  would  probably  have  had  to  this  day. 

Wed.  17. — I  twice  stopped  a  violent  bleeding  from  a 
cut,  by  applying  a  brier-leaf.    The  room  at  Launceston 


328  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Nov.  1766 

would  not  near  contain  the  congregation  in  the  evening 
to  whom  I  strongly  applied  the  case  of  the  impotent 
man  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda.  Many  vrere  much 
affected:  but,'  O,  how  few  are  willing  to  be  made 
whole  I 

"Wesley  on  a  Country  Life 

Mon.  Nov.  3. — I  rode  to  Brentford  from  London, 
where  all  was  quiet,  both  in  the  congregation  and  the 
society.  Tuesday,  4.  I  preached  at  Brentford,  Batter- 
sea,  Deptford,  and  Welling,  and  examined  the  several 
societies.  Wednesday,  5.  I  rode  by  Shorcham  to 
Sevenoaks.  In  the  little  journeys  which  I  have  lately 
taken,  I  have  thought  much  on  the  huge  encomiums 
which  have  been  for  many  ages  bestowed  on  a  country 
life.    How  have  all  the  learned  world  cried  out, 

O  fortunati  nimium,  sua  si  bona  norint, 

Agricolae ! 

But,  after  all,  what  a  flat  contradiction  is  this  to 
universal  experience !  See  that  little  house,  under  the 
wood,  by  the  river  side !  There  is  rural  life  in  per- 
fection. How  happy  then  is  the  farmer  that  lives  there? 
Let  us  take  a  detail  of  his  hajipiness.  He  rises  with,  or 
before,  the  sun,  calls  his  servants,  looks  to  his  swine 
and  cows,  then  to  his  stables  and  l)arns.  He  sees  to  the 
ploughing  and  sowing  his  ground,  in  winter  or  in  spring. 
In  summer  and  autumn  he  hurries  and  sweats  among 
his  mowers  and  reapers.  And  where  is  his  happiness  in 
the  meantime?  Which  of  these  employments  do  we 
envy  ?  Or  do  we  envy  the  delicate  repast  that 
succeeds,  which  the  poet  so  languishes  for  ? — 

O  quando  faba,  Pythagorae  cognata,  simulque 
Uncta  satis  pingui  ponentur  oluscula  lardo  I 


March  1767    A  PERFECT  CHRISTIAN  329 

'  O  the  happiness  of  eating  beans  well  greased  with  fat 
bacon  !  Nay,  and  cabbage  too  !  " — Was  Horace  in  his 
senses  when  he  talked  thus,  or  the  servile  herd  of  his 
imitators  ?  Our  eyes  and  ears  may  convince  us  there 
is  not  a  less  happy  body  of  men  in  all  England  than  the 
country  farmers.  In  general  their  life  is  supremely 
dull ;  and  it  is  usually  unhappy  too.  For  of  all  people 
in  the  kingdom  they  are  most  discontented ;  seldom 
satisfied  either  with  God  or  man. 

"Wesley  and  the  Charactef  of  a  Methodist 
1767.    Thur.  March  5. — I  at  length  obliged  Dr.  D.  by 
entering  into  the  lists  with  him.    The  letter  I  wrote 
(though  not  published  till  two  or  three  weeks  after)  was 
as  follows : 

"  To  the  Editor  of  Lloyd's  Evening  Post. 

"  Sir, — Many  times  the  publisher  of  the  '  Christian 
Magazine'  has  attacked  me  without  fear  or  wit;  and 
hereby  he  has  convinced  his  impartial  readers  of  one 
thing  at  least — that  (as  the  vulgar  say)  his  fingers  itch  to 
be  at  me ;  that  he  has  a  passionate  desire  to  measure 
swords  with  me.  But  I  have  other  work  upon  my 
hands :  I  can  employ  the  short  remainder  of  my  life  to 
better  purpose. 

"  The  occasion  of  his  late  attack  is  this :  Five  or  six 
and  thirty  years  ago,  I  much  admired  the  character  of  a 
perfect  Christian  drawn  by  Clemens  Alexandrinus. 
Five  or  six  and  twenty  years  ago,  a  thought  came  into 
my  mind,  of  drawing  such  a  character  myself,  only  in  a 
more  scriptural  manner,  and  mostly  in  the  very  words 
of  Scripture:  this  I  entitled,  '  The  Character  of  a 
Methodist,'  believing  that  curiosity  would  incite  more 
persons  to  read  it,  and  also  that  some  prejudice  might 


S30  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL     March  1767 

thereby  be  removed  from  candid  men.  But  that  none 
might  imagine  I  intended  a  panegyric  either  on  myself  or 
my  friends,  I  guarded  against  this  in  the  very  title-page, 
saying,  both  in  the  name  of  myself  and  them,  'Not  as 
though  I  had  already  attained,  either  were  already 
perfect.'  To  the  same  effect  I  speak  in  the  conclusion, 
'  These  are  the  same  principles  and  practices  of  our 
sect ;  these  are  the  marks  of  a  true  Methodist ' ;  that  is, 
a  true  Christian,  as  I  immediately  after  explain  myself : 
'  by  these  alone  do  those  who  are  in  derision  so  called 
desire  to  be  distinguished  from  other  men.'  (P.  11.) 
•  By  these  marks  do  we  labour  to  distinguish  ourselves 
from  those  whose  minds  or  lives  are  not  according  to 
the  Gospel  of  Christ.'  (P.  12.) 

"Upon  this  Rusticulus,  or  Dr.  Dodd,  says,  'A 
Methodist,  according  to  Mr.  Wesley,  is  one  who  is 
perfect,  and  sinneth  not  in  thought,  word,  or  deed.' 

"  Sir,  have  me  excused.  This  is  not  '  according  to 
Mr.  Wesley.'  I  have  told  all  the  world  I  am  not 
perfect;  and  yet  you  allow  me  to  be  a  Methodist.  I 
tell  you  flat,  I  have  not  attained  the  character  I  draw. 
Will  you  pin  it  upon  me  in  spite  of  my  teeth  ? 

"  '  But  Mr.  Wesley  says,  the  other  Methodists  have.' 
I  say  no  such  thing.  What  I  say,  after  having  given  a 
scriptural  account  of  a  perfect  Christian,  is  this :  '  By 
these  marks  the  Methodists  desire  to  be  distinguished 
from  other  men  ;  by  these  we  labour  to  distinguish 
ourselves.'  And  do  not  you  yourself  desire  and  labour 
after  the  very  same  thmg  ? 

"  But  you  insist,  '  Mr.  Wesley  affirms  the  Methodists' 
(that  is,  all  Methodists)  '  to  be  perfectly  holy  and 
righteous.'  Where  do  I  affirm  this  ?  Not  in  the  tract 
before  us.  In  the  front  of  this  I  affirm  just  the 
contrary  j  and  that  I  affirm  it  anywhere  else  is  more 


Sept.  1767    WHAT  THE  SEXTON  SAW 


331 


than  I  know.  Be  pleased,  sir,  to  point  out  the  place : 
till  this  is  done,  all  you  add  (bitterly  enough)  is  mere 
brutum  fuhiien;  and  the  Methodists  (so  called)  may 
still  declare  (without  any  impeachment  of  their 
sincerity),  that  they  do  not  come  to  the  holy  table 
'  trusting  in  their  own  righteousness,  but  in  God's 
manifold  and  great  mercies.'    I  am,  Sir, 

"  Yours,  &c., 

"John  Wesley." 

The  Sexton*s  Strange  Apparition 
Sat.  Aug.  I. — Before  I  left  Glasgow  I  heard  so 
strange  an  account,  that  I  desired  to  hear  it  from  the 
person  himself.  He  was  a  sexton,  and  yet  for  many 
years  had  little  troubled  himself  about  religion.  I  set 
down  his  words,  and  leave  every  man  to  form  his  own 
judgment  upon  them :  "  Sixteen  weeks  ago,  I  was 
walking,  an  hour  before  sunset,  behind  the  high-kirk; 
and,  looking  on  one  side,  I  saw  one  close  to  me,  who 
looked  in  my  face,  and  asked  me  how  I  did.  I  answered, 
'  Pretty  well.'  He  said,  '  You  have  had  many  troubles  ; 
but  how  have  you  improved  them  ? '  He  then  told  me 
all  that  ever  I  did ;  yea,  and  the  thoughts  that  had  been 
in  my  heart ;  adding,  '  Be  ready  for  my  second  coming ': 
and  he  was  gone  I  knew  not  how.  I  trembled  all  over, 
and  had  no  strength  in  me;  but  sunk  down  to  the 
ground.  From  that  time  I  groaned  continually  under 
the  load  of  sin,  till  at  the  Lord's  supper  it  was  all  taken 
away." 

Fri.  Sep.  25. — I  was  desired  to  preach  at  Freshford; 
but  the  people  durst  not  come  to  the  house,  because  of 
the  small-pox,  of  which  Joseph  Allen,  "  an  Israelite 
indeed,"  had  died  the  day  before.  So  they  placed  a  table 
near  the  church-yard.    But  I  had  no  sooner  begun  to 


332  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Dec.  1767 

speak,  than  the  bells  began  to  ring,  by  the  procurement 
of  a  neighbouring  gentleman.  However,  it  was  labour 
lost ;  for  my  voice  prevailed,  and  the  people  heard  me 
distinctly :  nay,\  a  person  extremely  deaf,  who  had  not 
been  able  to  hear  a  sermon  for  several  years,  told  his 
neighbours,  with  great  joy,  that  he  had  heard  and  under- 
stood all,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end. 

Queer  Houses  at  Sheet-ness 
Mon.  Nov.  23. — I  went  to  Canterbury.  Here  I  met 
with  the  Life  of  Mahomet,  wrote,  I  suppose,  by  the 
Count  de  Boulanvilliers.  Whoever  the  author  is,  he  is 
a  very  pert,  shallow,  self-conceited  coxcomb,  remarkable 
for  nothing  but  his  immense  assurance  and  thorough 
contempt  of  Christianity.  And  the  book  is  a  dull, 
ill-digested  romance,  supported  by  no  authorities  at 
all;  whereas  Dean  Prideaux  (a  writer  of  ten  times 
his  sense)  cites  his  authorities  for  every  thing  he 
advances. 

In  the  afternoon  I  rode  to  Dover ;  but  the  gentleman 
I  was  to  lodge  with  was  gone  a  long  journey.  He  went 
to'bed  well,  but  was  dead  in  the  morning  :  such  a  vapour 
is  life  !  At  six  I  preached ;  but  the  house  would  by  no 
means  contain  the  congregation.  Most  of  the  officers 
of  the  garrison  were  there.  I  have  not  found  so  much 
life  here  for  some  years. 

Sun.  Dec.  13. — To-day  I  found  a  little  soreness  on 
the  edge  of  my  tongue,  which  the  next  day  spread  to  my 
gums,  then  to  my  Hps,  which  inflamed,  swelled,  and,  the 
skin  bursting,  bled  considerably.  Afterward,  the  roof  of 
my  mouth  was  extremely  sore,  so  that  I  could  chew 
nothing.  To  this  was  added  a  continual  spitting.  I 
knew  a  little  rest  would  cure  all.  But  this  was  not  to 
be  had;  for  I  had  appointed  to  be  at  Sheerness  on 


Jan.  1768    MEN-OF-WAR  APARTMENTS 


333 


Wednesday,  the  i6th.  Accordingly,  I  took  horse 
between  five  and  six,  and  came  thither  between  five  and 
six  in  the  evening. 

At  half  an  hour  after  six,  I  began  reading  prayers 
(the  governor  of  the  fort  having  given  me  the  use  of 
the  chapel),  and  afterwards  preached,  though  not 
without  difficulty,  to  a  large  and  serious  congregation. 
The  next  evening  it  was  considerably  increased,  so 
that  the  chapel  was  as  hot  as  an  oven.  In  coming  out, 
the  air,  being  exceeding  sharp,  quite  took  away  my 
voice,  so  that  I  knew  not  how  I  should  be  able  the 
next  day  to  read  prayers  or  preach  to  so  large  a 
congregation.  But  in  the  afternoon  the  governor  cut 
the  knot,  sending  word,  I  must  preach  in  the  chapel  no 
more.  A  room  being  offered,  which  held  full  as  many 
people  as  I  was  able  to  preach  to,  we  had  a  comfortable 
hour ;  and  many  seemed  resolved  to  "  seek  the  Lord 
while  he  may  be  found." 

Such  a  town  as  many  of  these  live  in  is  scarce  to  be 
found  again  in  England.  In  the  dock  adjoining  to  the 
fort  there  are  sbc  old  men-of-war.  These  are  divided 
into  small  tenements,  forty,  fifty,  or  sixiy  in  a  ship,  with 
little  chimneys  and  windows ;  and  each  of  thesa  contains 
a  family.  In  one  of  them,  where  we  called,  a  man  and 
his  wife,  and  six  Uttle  children  lived.  And  yet  all  the 
ship  was  sweet  and  tolerably  clean ;  sweeter  than  most 
sailing  ships  I  have  been  in.  Saturday,  19.  I  returned 
to  London. 

Wesley  in  the  Marslialsea  Prison 
1768.  Sat.  Jan.  2. — I  called  on  a  poor  man  in  the 
Marshalsea,  whose  case  appeared  to  be  uncommon.  He 
is  by  birth  a  Dutchman,  a  chymist  by  profession.  Being 
but  half-employed  at  home,  he  was  advised  to  come  to 


334 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Feb.  1768 


London,  where  he  doubted  not  of  having  full  employment. 
He  was  recommended  to  a  countryman  of  his  to  lodge, 
who  after  six  weeks  arrested  him  for  much  more  than  he 
owed,  and  hurtded  him  away  to  prison,  having  a  wife 
near  her  time,  without  money,  friend,  or  a  word  of 

English  to  speak.    I  wrote  the  case  to  Mr.  T  ,  who 

immediately  gave  fifteen  pounds ;  by  means  of  which, 
with  a  little  addition,  he  was  set  at  liberty,  and  put  in  a 
way  of  living.  But  I  never  saw  him  since :  and  reason 
good  ;  for  he  could  now  live  without  me. 

Mon.  4. — At  my  leisure  hours  this  week,  I  read  Dr. 
Priestley's  ingenious  book  on  Electricity.  He  seems  to 
have  accurately  collected  and  well  digested  all  that  is 
known  on  that  curious  subject.  But  how  little  is  that 
all !  Indeed  the  use  of  it  we  know ;  at  least,  in  some 
good  degree.  We  know  it  is  a  thousand  medicines  in 
one :  in  particular,  that  it  is  the  most  efficacious  medi- 
cine in  nervous  disorders  of  every  kind,  which  has  ever 
yet  been  discovered.  But  if  we  aim  at  theory,  we  know 
nothing.    We  are  soon 

Lost  and  bewilder'd  in  the  fruitless  search. 

Mon.  II. — This  week  I  spent  my  scraps  of  time  in 
reading  Mr.  Wodrow's  "  History  of  the  Sufferings  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland."  It  would  transcend  belief,  but 
that  the  vouchers  are  too  authentic  to  admit  of  any 
exception.  O  what  a  blessed  Governor  was  that  good- 
natured  man,  so  called.  King  Charles  the  Second ! 
Bloody  Queen  Mary  was  a  lamb,  a  mere  dove,  in  com- 
parison of  him  1 

Mon.  Feb.  8. — I  met  with  a  surprising  poem, 
entitled,  "  Choheleth ;  or,  the  Preacher."  It  is  a  para- 
phrase, in  tolerable  verse,  on  the  Book  of  Ecclesiastes. 
I  really  think  the  author  of  it  (a  Turkey  Merchant) 


March  1768    PREACHING  IN  A  BARN  S35 


understands  both  the  difficult  expressions,  and  the  con- 
nexion of  the  whole,  better  than  any  other  either  ancient 
or  modern  writer  whom  I  have  seen.  He  was  at  Lisbon 
during  the  great  earthquake,  just  then  sitting  in  his  night- 
gown and  slippers.  Before  he  could  dress  himself,  part 
of  the  house  he  was  in  fell,  and  blocked  him  up.  By 
this  means  his  life  was  saved ;  for  all  who  had  run  out 
were  dashed  in  pieces  by  the  falling  houses. 

Wesley  Travels  North 
Mon.  March  14. — I  set  out  on  my  northern  journey, 
and  preached  at  Stroud  in  the  evening.  Tuesday,  15. 
About  noon  I  preached  at  Painswick,  and  in  the  evening 
at  Gloucester.  The  mob  here  was  for  a  considerable 
time  both  noisy  and  mischievous.  But  an  honest  magis- 
trate, taking  the  matter  in  hand,  quickly  tamed  the 
beasts  of  the  people.  So  may  any  magistrate,  if  he  will ; 
so  that  wherever  a  mob  continues  any  time,  all  they  do 
is  to  be  imputed  not  so  much  to  the  rabble  as  to  the 
justices. 

Wed.  16. — About  nine  I  preached  at  Cheltenham — a 
quiet,  comfortable  place ;  though  it  would  not  have  been 
so,  if  either  the  rector  or  the  Anabaptist  minister  could 
have  prevented  it.  Both  these  have  blown  the  trumpet 
with  their  might ;  but  the  people  had  no  ears  to  hear. 
In  the  afternoon  I  preached  at  Upton,  and  then  rode  on 
to  Worcester.  But  the  difficulty  was,  where  to  preach. 
No  room  was  large  enough  to  contain  the  people ;  and 
it  was  too  cold  for  them  to  stand  abroad.  At  length  we 
went  to  a  friend's,  near  the  town,  whose  barn  was  larger 
than  many  churches.  Here  a  numerous  congregation 
soon  assembled  ;  and  again  at  five,  and  at  ten  in  the 
morning.  Nothing  is  wanting  here  but  a  commodious 
house  :  and  will  not  God  provide  this  also  ? 


336 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL     March  1768 


Fri.  18. — The  vicar  of  Pebworth  had  given  notice  in 
the  church  on  Sunday,  that  I  was  to  preach  there  on 
Friday.  But  the  squire  of  the  parish  said,  "  It  is  con- 
trary to  the  canons  "  (wise  squire  !),  "  and  it  shall  not  be." 
So  I  preached  about  a  mile  from  it,  at  Broadmarston,  by 
the  side  of  Mr.  Eden's  house.  The  congregation  was 
exceeding  large,  and  remarkably  attentive.  In  the 
morning,  the  chapel  (so  it  anciently  was)  was  well  filled 
at  five.  The  simplicity  and  earnestness  of  the  people 
promise  a  glorious  harvest. 

Sat.  19. — We  rode  to  Birmingham.  The  tumults 
which  subsisted  here  so  many  years  are  now  wholly  sup- 
pressed by  a  resolute  magistrate.  After  preaching,  I 
was  pleased  to  see  a  venerable  monument  of  antiquity, 
George  Bridgins,  in  the  one  hundred  and  seventh  year 
of  his  age.  He  can  still  walk  to  the  preaching,  and 
retains  his  senses  and  understanding  tolerably  well. 
But  what  a  dream  will  even  a  life  of  a  hundred 
years  appear  to  him  the  moment  he  awakes  in 
eternity ! 

Preaching  in  a  North  Wind 
Sun.  20. — About  one  I  preached  on  West-Bromwich 
heath ;  in  the  evening,  near  the  preaching-house  in 
Wednesbury.  The  north  wind  cut  like  a  razor ;  but  the 
congregation,  as  well  as  me,  had  something  else  to 
think  of. 

Tues.  22. — I  read  over  a  small  book,  "  Poems,  by 
Miss  Whately,"  a  farmer's  daughter.  She  had  little 
advantage  from  education,  but  an  astonishing  genius. 
Some  of  her  elegies  I  think  quite  equal  to  Mr.  Gray's. 
If  she  had  had  proper  helps  for  a  few  years,  I  question 
whether  she  would  not  have  excelled  any  female  poet 
that  ever  yet  appeared  in  England. 


April  1768   WESLEY'S  PRETTY  LISTENERS  337 

Wed.  30. — I  rode  to  a  little  town  called  New  Mills, 
in  the  High-peak  01  Derbyshire.  I  preached  at  noon 
in  their  large  new  chapel,  which  (in  consideration  that 
preaching-houses  have  need  of  air)  has  a  casement  in 
every  window,  three  inches  square!  That  is  the  custom 
of  the  country  I 

Wesley  Instructs  Parents 

In  the  evening  and  the  following  morning  I  brought 
strange  things  to  the  ears  of  many  in  Manchester, 
concerning  the  government  of  their  families,  and  the 
education  of  their  children.  But  some  still  made  that 
very  silly  answer,  "  O,  he  has  no  children  of  his  own  !  " 
Neither  had  St.  Paul,  nor  (that  we  know)  any  of  the 
Apostles.  What  then  ?  Were  they  therefore  unable  to 
instruct  parents  ?  Not  so.  They  were  able  to  instruct 
every  one  that  had  a  soul  to  be  saved. 

Wed.  April  6. — About  eleven  I  preached  at  Wigan, 
in  a  place  near  the  middle  of  the  town,  which  I  suppose 
was  formerly  a  playhouse.  It  was  very  full,  and  very 
warm.  Most  of  the  congregation  were  wild  as  wild 
might  be;  yet  none  made  the  least  disturbance. 
Afterwards,  as  I  walked  down  the  street,  they  stared 
sufficiently  ;  but  none  said  an  uncivil  word. 

In  the  evening  we  had  a  huge  congregation  at  Liver- 
pool ;  but  some  pretty,  gay,  fluttering  things  did  not 
behave  with  so  much  good  manners  as  the  mob  at 
Wigan.  The  congregations  in  general  were  quite 
well-behaved,  as  well  as  large,  both  morning  and 
evening ;  and  I  found  the  society  both  more  numerous 
and  more  lively  than  ever  it  was  before. 

Mon.  II. — I  rode  to  Bolton;  on  Wednesday,  to 
Kendal.  Seceders  and  mongrel  Methodists  have  so 
surfeited  the  people  here,  that  there  is  small  prospect  of 

Y 


336  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  176S 

doing  good  :  however,  I  once  more  "  cast "  my  "  bread 
upon  the  waters,"  and  left  the  event  to  God. 

Thur.  14. — I  rode  on,  through  continued  rain,  to 
Ambleside.  It  bleared  up  before  we  came  to  Keswick, 
and  we  set  out  thence  in  a  fair  day;  but  on  the 
mountains  the  storm  met  us  again,  which  beat  on  us  so 
impetuously,  that  our  horses  could  scarce  turn  their 
faces  against  it.  However,  we  made  shift  to  reach 
Cockermouth  ■  but  there  was  no  room  for  preaching, 
the  town  being  in  an  uproar  through  the  election  for 
Members  of  Parliament;  so,  after  drying  ourselves,  we 
thought  it  best  to  go  on  to  Whitehaven, 

"Wesley  and  Mary  Queen  of  Scots 

Tues.  26. — I  came  to  Aberdeen. 

Here  I  found  a  society  truly  alive,  knit  together  in 
peace  and  love.  The  congregations  were  large  both 
morning  and  evening,  and,  as  usual,  deeply  attentive. 
But  a  company  of  strolling  players,  who  have  at  length 
found  place  here  also,  stole  away  the  gay  part  of  the 
hearers.  Poor  Scotland  !  Poor  Aberdeen  !  This  only 
was  wanting  to  make  them  as  completely  irreligious  as 
England. 

Fri.  29. — I  read  over  an  extremely  sensible  book,  but 
one  that  surprised  me  much  :  it  is  "  An  inquiry  into  the 
Proofs  of  the  Charges  commonly  advanced  against  Mary 
Queen  of  Scots."  By  means  of  original  papers,  he  has 
made  it  more  clear  than  one  would  imagine  it  possible  at 
this  distance  :  i .  That  she  was  altogether  innocent  of 
the  murder  of  Lord  Darnley,  and  no  way  privy  to  it : 
2.  That  she  married  Lord  Bothwell  (then  near  seventy 
years  old,  herself  but  four-and-twenty)  from  the  pressing 
instance  of  the  nobility  in  a  body,  who  at  the  same  time 
assured  her  he  was  innocent  of  the  King's  murder : 


May  1768       ELIZABETH  AS  NERO  S39 

3.  That  Murray,  Morton,  and  Lcthington,  themselves 
contrived  that  murder,  in  order  to  charge  it  upon  her ; 
as  well  as  forged  those  vile  letters  and  sonnets  which 
they  palmed  upon  the  world  for  hers. 

"  But  how  then  can  we  account  for  the  quite  contrary 
story,  which  has  been  almost  universally  received  ? " 
Most  easily.  It  was  penned  and  published  in  French, 
English,  and  Latin  (by  Queen  Elizabeth's  order),  by 
George  Buchanan,  who  was  secretary  to  Lord  Murray, 
and  in  Queen  Elizabeth's  pay ;  so  he  was  sure  to  throw 
dirt  enough.  Nor  was  she  at  liberty  to  answer  for 
herself.  "But  what  then  was  Queen  Elizabeth?"  As 
just  and  merciful  as  Nero,  and  as  good  a  Christian  as 
Mahomet. 

Sun.  May  i. — I  preached  at  seven  in  the  new  room  ; 
in  the  afternoon  at  the  College  kirk,  in  Old  Aberdeen. 
At  six,  knowing  our  house  could  not  contain  the 
congregation,  I  preached  in  the  castle  gate,  on  the 
paved  stones.  A  large  number  of  people  were  all 
attention;  but  there  were  many  rude,  stupid  creatures 
round  about  them,  who  knew  as  little  of  reason  as  of 
religion :  I  never  saw  such  brutes  in  Scotland  before. 
One  of  them  threw  a  potato,  which  fell  on  my  arm :  I 
turned  to  them ;  and  some  were  ashamed. 

"Wesley  at  Scoon  and  Holyrood 
Men.  2. — I  set  out  early  from  Aberdeen,  and  about 
noon  preached  in  Brechin.  After  sermon,  the  provost 
desired  to  see  me,  and  said,  "  Sir,  my  son  had  epileptic 
fits  from  his  infancy  :  Dr.  Ogylvie  prescribed  for  him 
many  times,  and  at  length  told  me  he  could  do  no  more. 
I  desired  Mr.  Blair  last  Monday  to  speak  to  you.  On 
Tuesday  morning  my  son  said  to  his  mother,  he  had 
just  been  dreaming  that  his  fits  were  gone,  and  he  was 


340  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1768 

perfectly  well.  Soon  after  I  gave  him  the  drops  you 
advised :  he  is  perfectly  well,  and  has  not  had  one  fit 
since." 

Thur.  5. — We  rode  through  the  pleasant  and  fruitful 
Carse  of  Gowry,  a  plain,  fifteen  or  sixteen  miles  long, 
between  the  river  Tay  and  the  mountains,  very  thick 
inhabited,  to  Perth.  In  the  afternoon  we  walked  over 
to  tlie  royal  palace  at  Scoon.  It  is  a  large  old  house, 
delightfully  situated,  but  swiftly  running  to  ruin.  Yet 
there  are  a  few  good  pictures,  and  some  fine  tapestry 
left,  in  what  they  call  the  Queen's  and  the  King's 
chambers.  And  what  is  far  more  curious,  there  is  a 
bed  and  a  set  of  hangings  in  the  (once)  royal  apartment, 
which  was  wrought  by  poor  Queen  Mary,  while  she  was 
imprisoned  in  the  Castle  of  Lochlevin.  It  is  some  of 
the  finest  needlework  I  ever  saw,  and  plainly  shows 
both  her  exquisite  skill  and  unwearied  industry. 

Sat.  14. — I  walked  once  more  through  Holyrood 
House,  a  noble  pile  of  building ;  but  the  greatest 
part  of  it  left  to  itself,  and  so  (like  the  palace  at  Scone) 
swiftly  running  to  ruin.  The  tapestry  is  dirty,  and 
quire  faded ;  the  fine  ceilings  dropping  down ;  and 
many  of  the  pictures  in  the  gallery  torn  or  cut  through. 
This  was  the  work  of  good  General  Hawley's  soldiers 
(like  General,  like  men  !),  who,  after  running  away  from 
the  Scots  at  Falkirk,  revenged  themselves  on  the  harm- 
less canvas ! 

Sun.  15. — At  eight  I  preached  in  the  High  School 
yard ;  and  I  believe  not  a  few  of  the  hearers  were  cut  to 
the  heart.  Between  twelve  and  one  a  far  larger  con- 
gregation assembled  on  the  Castle  Hill ;  and  I  believe 
my  voice  commanded  them  all,  while  I  opened  and 
enforced  those  awful  words,  "  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and 
great,  stand  before  God."    In  the  evening  our  house 


JuNEi:65        CURED  BY  THE  SUN  Sil 

was  sufficiently  crowded,  even  with  the  rich  and 
honourable.  "  Who  hath  warned  "  these  "  to  flee  from 
the  wrath  to  come?"  O  may  they  at  length  awake  and 
"  arise  from  the  dead  ! " 

Wesley's  Old  Schoolfellow 
Wed.  June  i. — Many  of  the  militia  were  present  at 
Barnard  Castle  in  theeve:.ing,  and  behaved  with  decency. 
I  was  well  p'.eased  to  lodge  at  a  gentleman's,  an  old 
schoolfellow,  half  a  mile  from  the  town,  ^^'hat  a  dream 
are  the  fifty  or  sixt)'  years  that  have  slipped  away  since 
we  were  at  the  Charterhouse  ! 

Thur.  2. — I  preached,  at  noon,  at  a  farmer's  house, 
near  Brough,  in  Westmoreland.  The  sun  was  hot 
enough,  but  some  shady  trees  covered  both  me  and 
most  of  the  congregation.  A  little  bird  perched  on  one 
of  them,  and  sung,  without  intermission,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  service  unto  the  end.  Many  of  the  people 
came  from  Car ;  but  I  believe  none  of  them  regretted 
their  labour. 

Fri.  3. — In  running  down  one  of  the  mountains  yes- 
terday, I  had  got  a  sprain  in  my  thigh :  it  was  rather 
worse  to-day  ;  but  as  I  rode  to  Barnard  Castle,  the  sun 
shone  so  hot  upon  it,  that,  before  I  came  to  the  town, 
it  was  quite  well.  In  the  evening  the  commanding 
officer  gave  orders  there  should  be  no  exercise,  that  all 
the  Durham  militia  (what  a  contrast !)  might  be  at 
liberty  to  attend  the  preaching.  Accordingly,  we  had  a 
little  army  of  officers  as  well  as  soldiers ;  and  all  behaved 
well.  A  large  number  of  them  were  present  at  five  in 
the  morning. 

Tues.  7. — I  went  down  by  water  to  South  Shields, 
and  preached  at  noon,  to  far  more  than  could  hear.  We 
went,  after  dinner,  to  Tynemouth  Castle,  a  magnificent 


342  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1768 

heap  of  ruins.  Within  the  walls  are  the  remains  of  a 
very  large  church,  which  seems  to  have  been  of  exquisite 
workmanship ;  and  the  stones  are  joined  by  so  strong  a 
cement,  that,  but  for  Cromwell's  cannon,  they  might 
have  stood  a  thousand  years. 

Wesle/s  "Wife  111 

Sun.  Aug.  14. — Hearing  my  wife  was  dangerously  ill, 
I  took  chaise  immediately  and  reached  the  Foundery 
before  one  in  the  morning.  Finding  the  fever  was 
turned,  and  the  danger  over,  about  two  I  set  out  again, 
and  in  the  afternoon  came  (not  at  all  tired)  to  Bristol. 

Wed.  Sept.  7  (Penzance). — After  the  early  preaching, 
the  select  society  met ;  such  a  company  of  lively  be- 
lievers, full  of  faith  and  love,  as  I  never  found  in  this 
county  before.  This,  and  the  three  following  days,  I 
preached  at  as  many  places  as  I  could,  though  I  was  at 
first  in  doubt,  whether  I  could  preach  eight  days  together, 
mostly  in  the  open  air,  three  or  four  times  a  day.  But 
my  strength  was  as  my  work  :  I  hardly  felt  any  weariness, 
first  or  last. 

Sun.  II. — About  nine  I  preached  at  St.  Agnes,  and 
again  between  one  and  two.  At  first  I  took  my  old 
stand  at  Gwennap,  in  the  natural  amphitheatre.  I  sup- 
pose no  human  voice  could  have  commanded  such  an 
audience  on  plain  ground ;  but  the  ground  rising  all 
round  gave  me  such  an  advantage,  that  I  believe  all 
could  hear  distinctly. 

Mon.  12. — I  preached  about  noon  at  Callistick,  and 
in  the  evening  at  Kerley.  It  rained  all  the  time ;  but 
that  did  not  divert  the  attention  of  a  large  congregation. 
At  noon,  Tuesday,  13,  I  preached  in  Truro,  and  in  the 
evening  at  Mevagissey.  It  was  a  season  of  solemn  joy ; 
I  have  not  often  found  the  like.    Surely  God's  thoughts 


Dec.  1768   WESLEY  AND  THE  TALKER  S43 

are  not  as  our  thoughts  I  Can  any  good  be  done  at 
Mevagissey  ? 

Fri.  16. — I  rode,  through  heavy  rain,  to  Polperro. 
Here  the  room  over  which  we  were  to  lodge  being  filled 
with  pilchards  and  conger-eels,  the  perfume  was  too 
potent  for  me ;  so  that  I  was  not  sorry  when  one  of 
our  friends  invited  me  to  lodge  at  her  house.  Soon 
after  I  began  to  preach,  heavy  rain  began ;  yet  none  went 
away  till  the  whole  service  was  ended. 

Sat.  17. — When  we  came  to  Crimble  Passage,  we 
were  at  a  full  stop.  The  boatmen  told  us  the  storm  was 
so  high,  that  it  was  not  possible  to  pass  :  however,  at 
length  we  persuaded  them  to  venture  out ;  and  we  did 
not  ship  one  sea  till  we  got  over. 

Sun.  18. — Our  room  at  the  Dock  contained  the  morn- 
ing congregation  tolerably  well.  Between  one  and  two 
I  began  preaching  on  the  quay  in  Plymouth.  Notwith- 
standing the  rain,  abundance  of  people  stood  to  hear. 
But  one  silly  man  talked  without  ceasing,  till  I  desired 
the  people  to  open  to  the  right  and  left,  and  let  me  look 
him  in  the  face.  They  did  so.  He  pulled  off  his  hat, 
and  quietly  went  away. 

Wesley  and  Seaport  Towns 
Wed.  Nov.  30. — I  rode  to  Dover,  and  came  in  just 
before  a  violent  storm  began.  It  did  not  hinder  the 
people.  Many  were  obHged  to  go  away  after  the  house 
was  filled.  What  a  desire  to  hear  runs  through  all 
the  seaport  towns  wherever  we  come  !  Surely  God  is 
besieging  this  nation,  and  attacking  it  at  all  the  en- 
trances ! 

Wed.  Dec.  14. — I  saw  the  Westminster  scholars  act  the 
"  Adelphi  "  of  Terence ;  an  entertainment  not  unworthy 
of  a  Christian.    O  how  do  these  Heathens  shame  us  I 


344  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL      March  1769 

Their  very  comedies  contain  both  excellent  sense,  the 
liveliest  pictures  of  men  and  manner,  and  so  fine  strokes 
of  genuine  morality,  as  are  seldom  found  in  the  writings 
of  Christians. 

1769.  Mon.  Jan.  9. — I  spent  a  comfortable  and 
profitable  hour  with  Mr.  Whitefield,  in  calling  to  mind 
the  former  times,  and  the  manner  wherein  God  prepared 
us  for  a  work  which  it  had  not  then  entered  into  our 
hearts  to  conceive. 

Fri.  Feb.  17  (Yarmouth). — I  abridged  Dr.  Watts's 
pretty  "Treatise  on  the  Passions."  His  hundred  and 
seventy-seven  pages  will  make  a  useful  tract  of  four- 
and-twenty.  Why  do  persons  who  treat  the  same 
subjects  with  me,  write  so  much  larger  books  ?  Of  many 
reasons,  is  not  this  the  chief — we  do  not  write  with  the 
same  view  ?  Their  principal  end  is  to  get  money ;  my 
only  one,  to  do  good. 

Mon.  27  (London.) — I  had  one  more  agreeable 
conversation  with  my  old  friend  and  fellow  labourer, 
George  Whitefield.  His  soul  appeared  to  be  vigorous 
still,  but  his  body  was  sinking  apace ;  and  unless  God 
interposes,  he  must  soon  finish  his  labours 

Wesley's  Land-Shark 
Thur.  March  30  (Dublin). — I  was  summoned  to 
the  Court  of  Conscience  by  a  poor  creature  who  fed  my 
horses  three  or  four  times  while  I  was  on  board.  For 
this  service  he  demanded  ten  shillings.  I  gave  him 
half  a  crown.  When  I  informed  the  Court  of  this,  he 
was  sharply  reproved.  Let  all  beware  of  these  land- 
sharks  on  our  sea-coasts ! — My  scraps  of  time  this  week 
I  employed  in  reading  the  account  of  Commodore  Byron. 
I  never  before  read  of  any  who  endured  such  hard- 
ships, and  survived  them.    Sure  no  novel  in  the  world 


April  1769    A  THREE  FARTHINGS'  FORT  345 

can  be  more  affecting,  or  more  surprising,  than  this 
history. 

Wed.  April  19  (Armagh). — We  took  horse  about 
ten,  being  desired  to  call  at  Kinnard  (ten  or 
eleven  miles  out  of  the  way),  where  a  little  society  had 
been  lately  formed,  who  were  much  alive  to  God.  At 
the  town-end,  I  was  met  by  a  messenger  from  Arch- 
deacon C  e,  who  desired  I  would  take  a  bed  with 

him ;  and  soon  after  by  another,  who  told  me  the  Arch- 
deacon desired  I  would  alight  at  his  door.  I  did  so; 
and  found  an  old  friend  whom  I  had  not  seen  for  four 
or  five  and  thirty  years. 

Wesley  Opens  a  New  Church 

He  received  me  with  the  most  cordial  affection  ;  and, 
after  a  time,  said,  "  We  have  been  building  a  new 
church,  which  my  neighbours  expected  me  to  open ; 
but  if  you  please  to  do  it,  it  will  be  as  well."  Hearing 
the  bell,  the  people  flocked  together  from  all  parts  of 
the  town,  and  "  received  the  word  with  all  readiness 
of  mind."  I  saw  the  hand  of  God  was  in  this,  for  the 
strengthening  of  this  loving  people. 

Hence  we  rode  through  a  pleasant  country  to  Charle- 
mount,  where  I  pieached  to  a  very  large  and  serious 
congregation,  near  the  fort,  which  has  a  ditch  round  it, 
with  some  face  of  a  fortification  ;  and  probably  (ac- 
cording to  custom)  costs  the  Government  a  thousand  a 
year,  for  not  three  farthings'  service ! 

Thur.  20.  —  I  went  on  to  Castle  -  caulfield,  and 
preached  on  the  green  adjoining  to  the  castle,  to  a  plain, 
serious  people,  who  still  retain  all  their  earnestness  and 
simplicity.  Thence  I  rode  to  Cookstown ;  a  town 
consisting  of  one  street  about  a  mile  long,  running 
directly  through  a  bog.    I  preached  to  most  of  the 


346 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


May  1769 


inhabitants  of  the  town :  and  so  the  next  day,  morning 
and  evening.  Many  "received  the  word  with  gladness," 
Perhaps  they  will  not  all  be  stony-ground  hearers. 

We  took  the  vnew  road  to  Dungiven.  But  it  was  hard 
work. 

Nigh  founder'd,  on  we  fared. 
Treading  the  crude  consistence. 

We  were  near  five  hours  going  fourteen  miles,  partly  on 
horseback,  partly  on  foot.  We  had,  as  usual,  a  full 
house  at  Londonderry  in  the  evening,  and  again  at  eight 
on  Sunday  morning.  In  the  afternoon  we  had  a 
brilliant  congregation.  But  such  a  sight  gives  me  no 
great  pleasure ;  as  I  have  very  little  hope  of  doing  them 
good :  only  "  with  God  all  things  are  possible." 

Both  this  evening  and  the  next  I  spoke  exceeding 
plain  to  the  members  of  the  society.  In  no  other  place 
in  Ireland  has  more  pains  been  taken  by  the  most  able 
of  our  preachers.  And  to  how  little  purpose  !  Bands 
they  have  none:  four-and-forty  persons  in  society!  The 
greater  part  of  these  heartless  and  cold.  The  audience 
in  general  dead  as  stones.  However,  we  are  to  deliver 
our  message ;  and  let  our  Lord  do  as  seemeth  him  good. 

A  Forsaken  Beauty 
Thur.  May  25. — I  rode  to  Bandon.  In  the  evening 
we  were  obliged  to  be  in  the  house ;  but  the  next, 
Friday,  26,  I  stood  in  the  main  street,  and  cried  to  a 
numerous  congregation,  "  Fear  God,  and  keep  his  com- 
mandments ;  for  this  is  the  whole  of  man."  Afterwards 
I  visited  one  that  a  year  or  two  ago  was  in  high  life,  an 
eminent  beauty,  adored  by  her  husband,  admired  and 
caressed  by  some  of  the  first  men  in  the  nation.  She 
was  now  without  husband,  without  friend,  without 
fortune,  confined  to  her  bed,  in  constant  pain,  and  in 


July  1769  DEFINES  CHRISTIAN  PERFECTION  3 17 


black  despair,  believing  herself  forsaken  of  God,  and 
possessed  by  a  legion  of  devils !  Yet  I  found  great 
liberty  in  praying  for  her,  and  a  strong  hope  that  she 
will  die  in  peace. 

Tues.  June  27. — [From  a  letter  "to  a  pious  and 
sensible  woman "]  "  By  Christian  perfection,  I  mean, 
1.  Loving  God  with  all  our  heart.  Do  you  object 
to  this?  I  mean,  2.  A  heart  and  life  all  devoted  to 
God.  Do  you  desire  less  ?  I  mean,  3.  Regaining  the 
whole  image  of  God.  What  objection  to  this  ?  I  mean, 
4.  Having  all  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ.  Is  this 
going  too  far  ?  I  mean,  5.  Walking  uniformly  as 
Christ  walked.  And  this  surely  no  Christian  will 
object  to.  If  any  one  means  anything  more  or  any- 
thing else  by  perfection,  I  have  no  concern  with  it.  But 
if  this  is  wrong,  yet  what  need  of  this  heat  about  it,  this 
violence,  I  had  almost  said,  fury  of  opposition,  carried 
so  far  as  even  not  to  lay  out  anything  with  this  man,  or 
that  woman,  who  professes  it  ?  " 

Mon.  July  3. — I  rode  to  Coolylough  (where  was  the 
quarterly  meeting),  and  preached  at  eleven,  and  in  the 
evening.  While  we  were  singing,  I  was  surprised  to  see 
the  horses  from  all  parts  of  the  ground  gathering  about 
us.  Is  it  true  then  that  horses,  as  well  as  lions  and 
tigers,  have  an  ear  for  music  ? 

Sun.  30. — At  five  I  preached  at  Leeds ;  and  on 
Monday,  31,  prepared  all  things  for  the  ensuing  Confer- 
ence. Tuesday,  August  i,  it  began ;  and  a  more  loving 
one  we  never  had.  On  Thursday  I  mentioned  the  case 
of  our  brethren  at  New  York,  who  had  built  the  first 
Methodist  preaching-house  in  America,  and  were  in 
great  want  of  money  and  much  more  of  preachers. 
Two  of  our  preachers,  Richard  Boardman  and  Joseph 
Pillmoor,  willingly  offered  themselves  for  the  service; 


348  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1769 

by  whom  we  determined  to  send  them  fifty  pounds,  as  a 
token  of  our  brotherly  love. 

"Wesley  at  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon's 
Wed.  Aug.  23. — I  went  on  to  Trevecka.  Here  we 
found  a  concourse  of  people  from  all  parts,  come  to 
celebrate  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon's  birth-day,  and 
the  anniversary  of  her  school,  which  was  opened  on 
the  twenty-fourth  of  August,  last  year.  I  preached  in 
the  evening,  to  as  many  as  her  chapel  could  well 
contain ;  which  is  extremely  neat,  or  rather,  elegant ;  as 
is  the  dining-room,  the  school,  and  all  the  house. 
About  nine  Howell  Harris  desired  me  to  give  a  short 
exhortation  to  his  family.  I  did  so ;  and  then  went 
back  to  my  Lady's  and  laid  me  down  in  peace. 

Thur.  24. — I  administered  the  Lord's  supper  to  the 
family.  At  ten  the  public  service  began.  Mr.  Fletcher 
preached  an  exceeding  lively  sermon  in  the  court,  the 
chapel  being  far  too  small.  After  him,  Mr.  William 
Williams  preached  in  Welsh,  till  between  one  and  two 
o'clock.  At  two  we  dined.  Meantime,  a  large  number 
of  people  had  baskets  of  bread  and  meat  carried  to  them 
in  the  court.  At  three  I  took  my  turn  there,  then  Mr. 
Fletcher,  and,  about  five,  the  congregation  was  dismissed. 
Between  seven  and  eight  the  love-feast  began,  at  which 
I  believe  many  were  comforted.  In  the  evening  several 
of  us  retired  into  the  neighbouring  wood,  which  is 
exceeding  pleasantly  laid  out  in  walks  ;  one  of  which 
leads  to  a  little  mount,  raised  in  the  midst  of  a  meadow, 
that  commands  a  delightful  prospect.  This  is  Howell 
Harris's  work,  who  has  likewise  greatly  enlarged  and  beau- 
tified his  house;  so  that,  with  the  gardens,  orchards, 
walks,  and  pieces  of  water  that  surround  it,  it  is  a  kind 
of  little  paradise. 


LADY  HUNTINGDON 


Sept.  1769       REMARKABLE  SCENERY  349 

Fri.  25. — We  rode  through  a  lovely  country  to  Chep- 
stow. I  had  designed  to  go  straight  on,  but  yielded  to 
the  importunity  of  our  friends  to  stay  and  preach  in  the 
evening.  Meantime,  I  took  a  walk  through  Mr.  Morris's 
woods.  There  is  scarce  anything  like  them  in  the 
kingdom.  They  stand  on  the  top,  and  down  the  side, 
of  a  steep  mountain,  hanging  in  a  semicircular  form  over 
the  river.  Through  these  woods  abundance  of  serpen- 
tine walks  are  cut,  wherein  many  seats  and  alcoves  are 
placed  ;  most  of  which  command  a  surprising  prospect 
of  rocks  and  fields  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  And 
must  all  these  be  burned  up  ?  What  will  become  of  us 
then,  if  we  set  our  hearts  upon  them  ? 

The  Gentleman  with  Rotten  Eggs 
Fri.  Sept.  8. — I  preached  about  nine  at  Taunton, 
and  then  rode  on  to  Bridgewater. 

This  afternoon  I  went  to  the  top  of  Brent  Hill  :  I 
know  not,  I  ever  before  saw  such  a  prospect.  West- 
ward, one  may  see  to  the  mouth  of  the  Bristol  Channel ; 
and  the  three  other  ways,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach. 
And  most  of  the  land  which  you  see  is  well  cultivated, 
well  wooded,  and  well  watered :  so  that  the  globe  of 
earth,  in  its  present  condition,  can  hardly  afford  a  more 
pleasing  scene. 

Tues.  19 — Between  twelve  and  one,  I  preached  at 
Freshford ;  and  on  White's  Hill,  near  Bradford,  in  the 
evening.  By  this  means  many  had  an  opportunity  of 
hearing,  who  would  not  have  come  to  the  room.  I  had 
designed  to  preach  there  again  the  next  evening  ;  but  a 
gentleman  in  the  town  desired  me  to  preach  at  his  door. 
The  beasts  of  the  people  were  tolerably  quiet  till  I  had 
nearly  finished  my  sermon.  They  then  lifted  up  their 
voice,  especially  one,  called  a  gentleman,  who  had  filled 


350 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  Jan.  1770 


his  pocket  with  rotten  eggs  :  but,  a  young  man  coming 
unawares,  clapped  his  hands  on  each  side,  and  mashed 
them  all  at  once.  In  an  instant  he  was  perfume  all 
over ;  though  it  was  not  so  sweet  as  balsam. 

Tues.  Oct.  24. — I  preached  at  Alston,  in  a  large 
malt-room,  where  one  side  of  my  head  was  very  warm, 
through  the  crowd  of  people,  the  other  very  cold, 
having  an  open  window  at  my  ear.  Between  six  and 
seven  I  preached  at  Northampton ;  and  it  was  an  awful 
season. 

This  evening  there  was  such  an  aurora  borealis  as  I 
never  saw  before  :  the  colours,  both  the  white,  the  flame- 
colour,  and  the  scarlet,  were  so  exceeding  strong  and 
beautiful.  But  they  were  awful  too  :  so  that  abundance 
of  people  were  frighted  into  many  good  resolutions. 

Wesley  on  Geology  and  Rousseau 

Tues.  Dec.  26. — I  read  the  letters  from  our  preachers 
in  America,  informing  us  that  God  had  begun  a  glorious 
work  there ;  that  both  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia 
multitudes  flock  to  hear,  and  behave  with  the  deepest 
seriousness  ;  and  that  the  society  in  each  place  already 
contains  above  an  hundred  members. 

Friday,  29,  we  observed  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer, 
partly  on  account  of  the  confused  state  of  public  affairs, 
partly  as  preparatory  to  the  solemn  engagement  which 
we  were  about  to  renew. 

1770.  Mon.  Jan.  i. — About  eighteen  hundred  of  us 
met  together ;  it  was  a  most  solemn  season.  As  we 
did  openly  "  avouch  the  Lord  to  be  our  God,  so  did  He 
avouch  us  to  be  His  people." 

Wed.  17. — In  a  little  journey,  which  I  took  into 
Bedfordshire,  I  finished  Dr.  Burnet's  "  Theory  of  the 
Earth."    He  is  doubtless  one  of  the  first-rate  writers, 


Feb.  I770    ROUSSEAU  THE  COXCOMB  Sol 

both  as  to  sense  and  style ;  his  language  is  remarkably 
clear,  unaffected,  nervous,  and  elegant.  And  as  to  his 
theory,  none  can  deny  that  it  is  ingenious,  and  con- 
sistent with  itself.  And  it  is  highly  probable,  i.  That 
the  earth  arose  out  of  the  chaos  in  some  such  manner 
as  he  describes :  2.  That  the  antediluvian  earth  was 
without  high  or  abrupt  mountains,  and  without  sea, 
being  one  uniform  crust,  enclosing  the  great  abyss  :  3. 
That  the  flood  was  caused  by  the  breaking  of  this  crust, 
and  its  sinking  into  the  abyss  of  waters  :  and  4.  That 
the  present  state  of  the  earth,  both  internal  and  external, 
shows  it  to  be  the  ruins  of  the  former  earth.  This  is 
the  substance  of  his  two  former  books,  and  thus  far  I 
can  go  with  him. 

I  have  no  objection  to  the  substance  of  his  third  book 
upon  the  general  conflagration,  but  think  it  one  of  the 
noblest  tracts  which  is  extant  in  our  language.  And  I 
do  not  much  object  to  the  fourth,  concerning  the  new 
heavens  and  the  new  earth-  The  substance  of  it  is 
highly  probable. 

Sat.  Feb.  3,  and  at  my  leisure  moments  on  several 
of  the  following  days,  I  read  with  much  expectation  a 
celebrated  book — Rousseau  upon  Education.  But  how 
was  I  disappointed !  Sure  a  more  consummate  cox- 
comb never  saw  the  sun  !  How  amazingly  full  of  him- 
self! Whatever  he  speaks,  he  pronounces  as  an  oracle. 
But  many  of  his  oracles  are  as  palpably  false,  as  that 
"  young  children  never  love  old  people."  No !  Do 
they  never  love  grandfathers  and  grandmother?  Fre- 
quently more  than  they  do  their  own  parents.  Indeed, 
they  love  all  that  love  them,  and  that  with  more  warmth 
and  sincerity  than  when  they  come  to  riper  years. 

But  I  object  to  his  temper,  more  than  to  his  judg- 
ment :  he  is  a  mere  misanthorpe  j  a  cynic  all  over.  So 


352 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL     March  1770 


indeed  is  his  brother-infidel,  Voltaire ;  and  well  nigh  as 
great  a  coxcomb.  But  he  hides  both  his  doggedness 
and  vanity  a  little  better ;  whereas  here  it  stares  us  in 
the  face  continually. 

As  to  his  book,  it  is  whimsical  to  the  last  degree ; 
grounded  neither  upon  reason  nor  experience.  To  cite 
particular  passages  would  be  endless ;  but  any  one  may 
observe  concerning  the  whole,  the  advices  which  are 
good  are  trite  and  common,  only  disguised  under  new 
expressions.  And  those  which  are  new,  which  are 
really  his  own,  are  lighter  than  vanity  itself.  Such  dis- 
coveries I  always  expect  from  those  who  are  too  wise  to 
believe  their  Bibles. 

Swedenborg  an  Entertaining  Madman 
^  Wed.  28. — I  sat  down  to  read  and  seriously  consider 
some  of  the  writing  of  Baron  Swedenborg.  I  began 
with  huge  prejudice  in  his  favour,  knowing  him  to  be  a 
pious  man,  one  of  a  strong  understanding,  of  much 
learning,  and  one  who  thoroughly  believed  himself.  But 
I  could  not  hold  out  long.  Any  one  of  his  visions  puts 
his  real  character  out  of  doubt.  He  is  one  of  the  most 
ingenious,  lively,  entertaining  madmen,  that  ever  set  pen 
to  paper.  But  his  waking  dreams  are  so  wild,  so  far 
remote  both  from  Scripture  and  common  sense,  that  one 
might  as  easily  swallow  the  stories  of  "  Tom  Thumb," 
or  "  Jack  the  Giant- Killer." 

Mon.  March  5. — I  came  to  Newbury,  where  I  had 
been  much  importuned  to  preach.  But  where  ?  The 
Dissenters  would  not  permit  me  to  preach  in  their 
meeting-house.  Some  were  then  desirous  to  hire  the 
old  playhouse ;  but  the  good  mayor  would  not  suffer  it 
to  be  so  profaned  !  So  I  made  use  of  a  workshop — a 
large,  commodious  place.    But  it  would  by  no  means 


April  1770    RE.\DING  ON  HORSEBACK  553 

contain  the  congregation.  All  that  could  hear  behaved 
well;  and  I  was  in  hopes  God  would  have  a  people  in 
this  place  also.  The  next  evening  I  preached  at  Bristol, 
and  spent  the  rest  of  the  week  there. 

"Wesley  and  his  Horses 

Wed.  21. — In  the  following  days  I  went  on  slowly, 
through  Staffordshire  and  Cheshire,  to  Manchester.  In 
this  journey,  as  well  as  in  many  others,  I  observed  a 
mistake  that  almost  universally  prevails ;  and  I  desire 
all  travellers  to  take  good  notice  of  it,  which  may  save 
them  both  from  trouble  and  danger.  Near  thirty 
years  ago,  I  was  thinking,  "  How  is  it  that  no  horse 
ever  stumbles  while  I  am  reading?"  (History,  poetry, 
and  philosophy  I  commonly  read  on  horseback,  having 
other  employment  at  other  times.)  No  account  can 
possibly  be  given  but  this :  because  then  I  throw  the 
reins  on  his  neck.  I  then  set  myself  to  observe ;  and 
I  aver,  that  in  riding  above  an  hundred  thousand  miles, 
I  scarce  ever  remember  any  horse  (except  two,  that 
would  fall  head  over  heels  any  way)  to  fall,  or  make  a 
considerable  stumble  while  I  rode  with  a  slack  rein. 
To  fancy,  therefore,  that  a  tight  rein  prevents  stumbling 
is  a  capital  blunder.  I  have  repeated  the  trial  more 
frequently  than  most  men  in  the  kingdom  can  do.  A 
slack  rein  will  prevent  stumbling  if  anything  will.  But 
in  some  horses  nothing  can. 

Wed.  April  25. — Taking  horse  at  five,  we  rode  to 
Dunkeld,  the  first  considerable  town  in  the  Highlands. 
We  were  agreeably  surprised :  a  pleasanter  situation 
cannot  be  easily  imagined.  Afterwards  we  went  some 
miles  on  a  smooth,  delightful  road,  hanging  over  the 
river  Tay ;  and  then  went  on,  winding  through  the 
mountains,  to  the  Castle  of  Blair.    The  mountains,  for 


35* 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  1770 


the  next  twenty  miles,  were  much  higher,  and  covered 
with  snow.  In  the  evening  we  came  to  Dalwhinny,  the 
dearest  inn  I  have  met  with  in  North  Britain.  In  the 
morning  we  were  informed,  so  much  snow  had  fallen  in 
the  night,  that  we  could  get  no  farther.  And  indeed, 
three  young  women,  attempting  to  cross  the  mountain 
to  Blair,  were  swallowed  up  in  the  snow.  However,  we 
resolved,  with  God's  help,  to  go  as  far  as  we  could.  But, 
about  noon,  we  were  at  a  full  stop :  the  snow,  driving 
together  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  had  quite  blocked 
up  the  road.  We  dismounted,  and,  striking  out  of  the 
road  warily,  sometimes  to  the  left,  sometimes  to  the 
right,  with  many  stumbles,  but  no  hurt,  we  got  on  to 
Dalmagarry,  and  before  sunset,  to  Inverness. 

Fri.  27. — I  breakfasted  with  the  senior  minister,  Mr. 
M'Kenzie,  a  pious  and  friendly  man.  At  six  in  the 
evening  I  began  preaching  in  the  church,  and  with  very 
uncommon  liberty  of  spirit.  At  seven  in  the  morning 
I  preached  in  the  library,  a  large  commodious  room ; 
but  it  would  not  contain  the  congregation ;  many  were 
constrained  to  go  away.  Afterwards  I  rode  over  to  Fort 
George,  a  very  regular  fortification,  capable  of  containing 
four  thousand  men.  As  I  was  just  taking  horse,  the 
commanding  officer  sent  word,  I  was  welcome  to  preach. 
But  it  was  a  little  too  late :  I  had  then  but  just  time  to 
ride  back  to  Inverness. 

"Wesley  at  Nairn,  Elgin,  and  Aberdeen 
Mon.  30. — We  set  out  in  a  fine  morning.  A  little 
before  we  reached  Nairn,  we  were  met  by  a  messenger 
from  the  minister,  Mr.  Dunbar;  who  desired,  I  would 
breakfast  with  him,  and  give  them  a  sermon  in  his 
church.  Afterwards  we  hastened  to  Elgin,  through  a 
pleasant  and  well-cultivated  country.    When  we  set  out 


May  1770      ON  MONTROSE  GREEN  S5j 


from  hence,  the  rain  began,  and  poured  down  till  we 
came  to  the  Spey,  the  most  impetuous  river  I  ever  saw. 
Fmding  the  large  boat  was  in  no  haste  to  move,  I  stepped 
into  a  small  one,  just  going  off.  It  whirled  us  over  the 
stream  almost  in  a  minute.  I  waited  at  the  inn  at 
Fochabers  (dark  and  dirty  enough  in  all  reason),  till  our 
friends  overtook  me  with  the  horses.  The  outside  of 
the  inn  at  Keith  was  of  the  same  hue,  and  promised  us 
no  great  things.  But  we  were  agreeably  disappointed. 
We  found  plenty  of  everything,  and  so  dried  ourselves 
at  leisure. 

Sun.  May  6. — I  preached  in  the  college  kirk  at  Old 
Aberdeen,  to  a  very  serious  (though  mostly  genteel)  con- 
gregation. In  the  evening  I  preached  at  our  own  room, 
and  early  in  the  morning  took  my  leave  of  this  loving 
people.  We  came  to  Montrose  about  noon.  I  had 
designed  to  preach  there ;  but  found  no  notice  had  been 
given.  However,  I  went  down  to  the  green,  and  sung 
a  hymn.  People  presently  flocked  from  all  parts,  and 
God  gave  me  great  freedom  of  speech ;  so  that  I  hope 
we  did  not  meet  in  vain. 

At  seven  in  the  evening  I  preached  at  Arbroath,  pro- 
perly Aberbrothwick.  The  whole  town  seems  moved  : 
the  congregation  was  the  largest  I  have  seen  since  we 
left  Inverness;  and  the  society,  though  but  of  nine 
months'  standing,  is  the  largest  in  the  kingdom,  next 
that  of  Aberdeen. 

Tues.  8. — I  took  a  view  of  the  small  remains  of  the 
abbey.  I  know  nothing  like  it  in  all  North  Britain.  I 
paced  it,  and  found  it  an  hundred  yards  long.  The 
breadth  is  proportionable.  Part  of  the  west  end,  which 
is  still  standing,  shows  it  was  full  as  high  as  Westminster 
Abbey.  The  south  end  of  the  cross  aisle  likewise  is 
standing,  near  the  top  of  which  is  a  large  circular  window. 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1770 

The  zealous  Reformers,  they  told  us,  burnt  this  down. 
God  deliver  us  from  reforming  mobs ! 

I  have  seen  no  town  in  Scotland  which  increases  so 
fast,  or  which  is  built  with  so  much  common  sense,  as 
this.  Two  entire  new  streets,  and  part  of  a  third,  have 
been  built  within  these  t.wo  years.  They  run  parallel 
with  each  other,  and  have  a  row  of  gardens  between 
them.  So  that  every  house  has  a  garden ;  and  thus 
both  health  and  convenience  are  consulted. 

Where  Are  the  Highlands? 
Mon.  14. — After  ten  years'  inquiry,  I  have  learned 
what  are  the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  Some  told  me, 
"  The  Highlands  begin  when  you  cross  the  Tay  " ;  others, 
"  when  you  cross  the  North  Esk  " ;  and  others,  "  when 
you  cross  the  river  Spey  " :  but  all  of  them  missed  the 
mark.  For  the  truth  of  the  matter  is,  the  Highlands  are 
bounded  by  no  river  at  all,  but  by  earns,  or  heaps  of 
stones  laid  in  a  row,  south-west  and  north-east,  from 
sea  to  sea.  These  formerly  divided  the  kingdom  of  the 
Picts  from  that  of  the  Caledonians,  which  included  all  the 
country  north  of  the  earns  ;  several  whereof  are  still 
remaining.  It  takes  in  Argyleshire,  most  of  Perthshire, 
Murrayshire,  with  all  the  north-west  counties.  This  is 
called  the  Highlands,  because  a  considerable  part  of  it 
(though  not  the  whole)  is  mountainous.  But  it  is  not 
more  mountainous  than  North  Wales,  nor  than  many 
parts  of  England  and  Ireland ;  nor  do  I  believe  it  has 
any  mountain  higher  than  Snowdon  Hill,  or  the  Skiddaw 
in  Cumberland.  Talking  Erse,  therefore,  is  not  the 
thing  that  distinguishes  these  from  the  Lowlands. 
Neither  is  this  or  that  river ;  both  the  Tay,  the  Esk, 
and  the  Spey  running  through  the  Highlands,  not  south 
of  them. 


June  1770    WESLEY  AT  SIXTY-SEVEN  357 

Fri.  1 8. — We  rode  over  to  the  Earl  of  Haddington's 
seat,  finely  situated  between  two  woods.  The  house  is 
exceeding  large  and  pleasant,  commanding  a  wide  pros- 
pect both  ways :  and  the  Earl  is  cutting  walks  through 
the  woods,  smoothing  the  ground,  and  much  enlarging 
and  beautifying  his  garden.  Yet  he  is  to  die !  In  the 
evening,  I  trust  God  broke  some  of  the  stony  hearts  of 
Dunbar.  A  little  increase  here  is  in  the  society  likewise ; 
and  all  the  members  walk  unblamably. 

Wesley  and  the  Turnpikes 

Fri.  June  15. — I  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  the 
whole  road  from  Thirsk  to  Stokesley,  which  used  to  be 
extremely  bad,  better  than  most  turnpikes.  The  gentle- 
men had  exerted  themselves,  and  raised  money  enough 
to  mend  it  effectually.  So  they  have  done  for  several 
hundred  miles  in  Scotland,  and  throughout  all  Connaught 
in  Ireland ;  and  so  they  undoubtedly  might  do  through- 
out all  England,  without  saddling  the  poor  people  with 
the  vile  imposition  of  turnpikes  for  ever. 

In  the  afternoon  we  come  to  Whitby.  Having 
preached  thrice  a  day  for  five  days,  I  was  willing  to 
preach  in  the  house;  but  notice  had  been  given  of  my 
preaching  in  the  market-place ;  so  I  began  at  six,  to  a 
large  congregation  most  of  them  deeply  attentive. 

Sun.  1 7. — We  had  a  poor  sermon  at  church.  How- 
ever, I  went  again  in  the  afternoon,  remembering  the 
words  of  Mr.  Philip  Henry,  "  If  the  preacher  does  not 
know  his  duty,  I  bless  God  that  I  know  mine." 

Thur.  28. — I  can  hardly  believe  that  I  am  this  day 
entered  into  the  sixty-eighth  year  of  my  age.  How 
marvellous  are  the  ways  of  God  !  How  has  He  kept  me 
even  from  a  child !  From  ten  to  thirteen  or  fourteen,  I 
had  little  but  bread  to  eat,  and  not  great  plenty  of  that. 


358  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         July  1770 

I  believe  this  was  so  far  from  hurting  me,  that  it  laid 
the  foundation  of  lasting  health.  When  I  grew  up,  in 
consequence  of  reading  Dr.  Cheyne,  I  chose  to  eat 
sparingly,  and  'drink  water.  This  was  another  great 
means  of  continuing  my  health,  till  I  was  about  seven- 
and-twenty,  I  then  began  spitting  of  blood,  which 
continued  several  years.  A  warm  climate  cured  this. 
I  was  afterwards  brought  to  the  brink  of  death  by  a 
fever;  but  it  left  me  healthier  than  before.  Eleven 
years  after,  I  was  in  the  third  stage  of  a  consumption ; 
in  three  months  it  pleased  God  to  remove  this  also. 
Since  that  time  I  have  known  neither  pain  nor  sickness, 
and  am  now  hcaltliier  than  I  was  forty  years  ago.  This 
hath  God  wrought ! 

Wesley  in  St.  Albans  Abbey 

Mon.  July  30. — I  preached  at  Bingham,  ten  miles 
from  Nottingham.  I  really  admired  the  exquisite 
stupidity  of  the  people.  They  gaped  and  stared  while  I 
was  speaking  of  death  and  judgment,  as  if  they  had 
never  heard  of  such  things  before.  And  they  were  not 
helped  by  two  surly,  ill-mannered  clergymen,  who 
seemed  to  be  just  as  wise  as  themselves.  The  congrega- 
tion at  Houghton  in  the  evening  was  more  noble, 
behaving  with  the  utmost  decency. 

Tues.  31. — At  nine  I  preached  in  the  market-place  at 
Loughborough,  to  almost  as  large  a  congregation  as  at 
Nottingham,  and  equally  attentive.  Thence  I  rode  to 
Markfield.  Notwithstanding  the  harvest,  the  church 
was  quickly  filled.  And  great  was  our  rejoicing  in  our 
great  High  Priest,  through  whom  we  "  came  boldly  to 
the  throne  of  grace."  In  the  evening  I  preached  in  the 
Castle  Yard  at  Leicester,  to  a  multitude  of  awakened 
and  unawakened.    One  feeble  attempt  was  made  to 


Aug.  177°    WESLEY  AT  ST.  ALBANS  359 


disturb  them :  a  man  was  sent  to  cry  fresh  salmon  at  a 
little  distance;  but  he  might  as  well  have  spared  the 
pains,  for  none  took  the  least  notice  of  him. 

Wed.  Aug.  I. — I  rode  to  Northampton.  It  being 
still  extremely  hot,  I  determined  not  to  be  cooped  up, 
but  took  my  stand  on  the  side  of  the  common,  and 
cried  aloud  to  a  large  multitude  of  rich  and  poor, 
"  Acquaint  thyself  now  with  him,  and  be  at  peace." 

Thur.  2. — Some  friends  from  London  met  us  at  St. 
Albans.  Before  dinner  we  took  a  walk  in  the  abbey, 
one  of  the  most  ancient  buildings  in  the  kingdom,  near 
a  thousand  years  old ;  and  one  of  the  largest,  being  five 
hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  length  (considerably  more 
than  Westminster  Abbey),  and  broad  and  high  in  propor- 
tion. Near  the  east  end  is  the  tomb  and  vault  of 
good  Duke  Humphrey.  Some  now  living  remember 
since  his  body  was  entire.  But  after  the  coffin  was 
opened,  so  many  were  curious  to  taste  the  liquor  in 
which  it  was  preserved,  that  in  a  little  time  the  corpse 
was  left  bare,  and  then  soon  mouldered  away.  A  few 
bones  are  now  all  that  remain.  How  little  is  the  spirit 
concerned  at  this  1 

"Wesley  and  the  Druid  Monuments 
Tues.  2  1. — I  rode  on  to  Tiverton,  and  thence  through 
Launceston,  Camelford,  Port  Isaac,  Cubert,  St.  Agnes, 
and  Redruth,  to  St.  Ives.  Here  God  has  made  all  our 
enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  us,  so  that  I  might  have 
preached  in  any  part  of  the  town.  But  I  rather  chose  a 
meadow,  where  such  as  would  might  sit  down,  either  on 
the  grass  or  on  the  hedges — so  the  Cornish  term  their 
broad  stone  walls,  which  are  usually  covered  with  grass. 
Here  I  enforced,  "  Fear  God,  and  keep  His  command- 
ments ;  for  this  is  the  whole  of  man." 


S60 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1770 


Sat.  Sept.  I. — I  took  a  walk  to  the  top  of  that 
celebrated  hill,  Carn  Brae.  Here  are  many  monuments 
of  remote  antiquity,  scarce  to  be  found  in  any  other 
part  of  Europe  :  Druid  altars  of  enormous  size,  being 
only  huge  rocks,  strangely  suspended  one  upon  the 
other ;  and  rock-basins,  hollowed  on  the  surface  of  the 
rock,  it  is  supposed,  to  contain  the  holy  water.  It  is 
probable  these  are  at  least  coeval  with  Ponipey's  theatre, 
if  not  with  the  pyramids  of  Egypt.  And  what  are  they 
the  better  for  this  ?  Of  what  consequence  is  it  either  to 
the  dead  or  the  living,  whether  they  have  withstood  the 
wastes  of  time  for  three  thousand  or  three  hundred  years  ? 

Congregation  of  20,000 
Sun.  2. — At  five  in  the  evening  I  preached  in  the 
natural  amphitheatre  at  Gwennap.  The  people  covered 
a  circle  of  near  fourscore  yards  diameter,  and  could  not 
be  fewer  than  twenty  thousand.  Yet,  upon  inquiry,  I 
found  they  could  all  hear  distinctly,  it  being  a  calm,  still 
evening. 

After  visiting  Medros,  Plymouth,  and  Collumpton,  I 
came  on  Friday,  7,  to  Taunton.  Presently,  after 
preaching,  I  took  horse.  The  rain  obliged  us  to  make 
haste ;  but  in  a  while  the  saddle  came  over  his  neck, 
and  then  turned  under  his  belly.  I  had  then  only  to 
throw  myself  off,  or  I  must  have  fallen  under  him.  I 
was  a  Uttle  bruised,  but  soon  mounted  again,  and  rode 
to  Lympsham,  and  the  next  day  to  Bristol. 

Sun.  9. — My  voice  was  weak  when  I  preached  at 
Princes  Street  in  the  morning.  It  was  stronger  at  two 
in  the  afternoon,  while  I  was  preaching  under  the 
sycamore  tree  in  Kingswood;  and  strongest  of  all  at 
five  in  the  evening,  when  we  assembled  near  King's 
Square  in  Bristol. 


NW.  1770    DEATH  OF  WHITEFIELD  S6l 

Thur,  Oct.  II. — About  eleven  I  preached  at  Win- 
chester, to  a  genteel  and  yet  serious  congregation.  I 
was  a  little  tired  before  I  came  to  Portsmouth,  but  the 
congregation  soon  made  me  forget  my  weariness.  Indeed 
the  people  in  general  here  are  more  noble  than  most  in 
the  south  of  England.  They  receive  the  word  of  God 
"  with  all  readiness  of  mind,"  and  showed  civility,  at 
least,  to  all  that  preach  it. 

Fire  at  Portsmouth  Dock 
Fri.  12. — I  walked  round  the  Dock,  much  larger  than 
any  in  England.  The  late  fire  began  in  a  place  where 
no  one  comes,  just  at  low  water,  and  at  a  time  when  all 
were  fast  asleep.  So  that  none  can  doubt  its  being  done 
by  design.  It  spread  with  such  amazing  violence,  among 
tow,  and  cordage,  and  dry  wood,  that  none  could  come 
near  without  the  utmost  danger.  Nor  was  anything 
expected,  but  the  whole  dock  would  be  consumed,  if  not 
the  town  also.  But  this  God  would  not  permit.  It 
stopped  on  one  side,  close  to  the  commissioner's  house ; 
and  just  as  it  was  seizing  the  town  on  the  other  side, 
the  wind  changed  and  drove  it  back.  Afterwards  the 
fury  of  it  was  checked,  by  water,  by  sand,  and  by  pulling 
down  some  buildings.  And  yet  it  was  full  five  weeks 
before  it  was  wholly  put  out. 

Wesley  Preaches  "Whitefield's  Funeral  Sermon 
Sat.  Nov.  10. — I  returned  to  London,  and  had  the 
melancholy  news  of  Mr.  Whitefield's  death  confirmed 
by  his  executors,  who  desired  me  to  preach  his  funeral 
sermon  on  Sunday,  the  i8th.  In  order  to  write  this,  I 
retired  to  Lewishara  on  Monday ;  and  on  Sunday 
following,  went  to  the  chapel  in  Tottenham  Court  Road. 
An  immense  multitude  was  gathered  together  from  all 


362  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Dec.  1770 

corners  of  the  town.  I  was  at  first  afraid  that  a  great 
part  of  the  congregation  would  not  be  able  to  hear ; 
but  it  pleased  God  so  to  strengthen  my  voice,  that  even 
those  at  the  door  heard  distinctly.  It  was  an  awful 
season  :  all  were  still  as  night ;  most  appeared  to  be 
deeply  affected ;  and  an  impression  was  made  on  many, 
which  one  would  hope  will  not  speedily  be  effaced. 

The  time  appointed  for  my  beginning  at  the  Taber- 
nacle was  half-hour  after  five ;  but  it  was  quite  filled  at 
three,  so  I  began  at  four.  At  first  the  noise  was  ex- 
ceeding great ;  but  it  ceased  when  I  began  to  speak ;  and 
my  voice  was  again  so  strengthened  that  all  who  were 
within  could  hear,  unless  an  accidental  noise  hindered 
here  or  there  for  a  few  moments.  O  that  all  may  hear 
the  voice  of  him  with  whom  are  the  issues  of  life  and 
death ;  and  who  so  loudly,  by  this  unexpected  stroke, 
calls  all  his  children  to  love  one  another  ! 

Fri.  23. — Being  desired  by  the  trustees  of  the  taber- 
nacle at  Greenwich  to  preach  Mr.  Whitefield's  funeral 
sermon  there,  I  went  over  to-day  for  that  purpose  ;  but 
neither  would  this  house  contain  the  congregation. 
Those  who  could  not  get  in  made  some  noise  at  first, 
but  in  a  little  while  all  were  silent.  Here,  likewise,  I 
trust  God  has  given  a  blow  to  that  bigotry  which  had 
prevailed  for  many  years. 

Mon.  Dec.  3. —  I  took  a  little  journey  into  Kent.  In 
the  evening  I  preached  at  Chatham,  in  the  new  house, 
which  was  sufficiently  crowded  with  attentive  hearers. 

Tues.  4 — I  preached  at  Canterbury. 

Wed.  5. — We  went  to  Dover,  where,  with  some  diffi- 
culty, we  climbed  to  the  top  of  Shakespeare's  cliff.  It  is 
exceeding  high,  and  commands  a  vast  prospect  both 
by  sea  and  land ;  but  it  is  nothing  so  terrible  in  itself 
as  it  is  in  his  description.    I  preached  to  a  very  serious 


Feb.  1 77 1    WESLEY'S  WIFE  AND  WILL  S63 


congregation  in  the  evening  as  well  as  in  the  morning. 
The  same,  likewise,  we  observed  at  Canterbury ;  so  that 
I  hope  to  see  good  days  here  also. 

Fri.  7 . — I  preached  in  Feversham  at  nine,  and  in  the 
evening  at  Chatham.  So  we  go  through  water  and  fire ! 
And  all  is  well,  so  we  are  doing  or  suffering  the  will  of 
our  Lord ! 

Wesley's  "Wife  Leaves  Him 

Wed.  19. — About  noon  I  preached  at  Dorking.  The 
hearers  were  many,  and  seemed  all  attention.  About 
an  hundred  attended  at  Ryegate  in  the  evening,  and 
between  twenty  and  thirty  in  the  morning ;  dull  indeed 
as  stones. 

1 77 1.  Wed.  Jan.  2. — I  preached  in  the  evening,  at 
Deptford,  a  kind  of  funeral  sermon  for  Mr.  Whitefield. 
In  every  place  I  wish  to  show  all  possible  respect  to  the 
memory  of  that  great  and  good  man. 

Wed.  23. — For  what  cause  I  know  not  to  this  day^ 

 [Wesley's  wife]  set  out  for  Newcastle,  purposing 

"  never  to  return."  Non  earn  rcliqui :  non  dhnisi  :  non 
revocabo — [I  did  not  desert  her :  I  did  not  send  her 
away  :  I  will  not  recall  her]. 

Fri.  25. — I  revised  and  transcribed  my  will,  declaring 
as  simply,  as  plainly,  and  as  briefly  as  I  could,  nothing 
more  nor  nothing  else,  but  "  what  I  would  have  done 
with  the  worldly  goods  which  I  leave  behind  me." 

Thur.  Feb.  14. — I  went  through  both  the  upper  and 
lower  rooms  of  the  London  workhouse.  It  contains 
about  an  hundred  children,  who  are  in  as  good  order  as 
any  private  family.  And  the  whole  house  is  as  clean, 
from  top  to  bottom,  as  any  gentleman's  needs  be.  And 
why  is  not  every  workhouse  in  London,  yea,  through 
the  kingdom,  in  the  same  order?    Purely  for  want 


364  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1771 


either  of  sense,  or  of  honesty  and  activity,  in  them  that 
superintend  it. 

Mon.  25. — I  showed  a  friend,  coming  out  of  the 
country,  the  tombs  in  Westminster  Abbey.  The  two 
with  which  I  still  think  none  of  the  others  worthy  to  be 
compared  are  that  of  Mrs.  Nightingale,  and  that  of  the 
Admiral  risirtg  out  of  his  tomb  at  the  resurrection.  But 
the  vile  flattery  inscribed  on  many  of  them  reminded  me 
of  that  just  reflection  : 

If  on  the  sculptured  marble  you  rely, 
Pity  that  worth  like  his  should  ever  die. 
If  credit  to  the  real  life  you  give, 
Pity  a  wretch  like  him  should  ever  live  I 

The  Earl  of  Desmond's  Castle 

Wed.  May  22  (Ireland). — After  preaching  at  Balli- 
garane,  I  rode  to  Ashkayton.  There  are  no  ruins,  I 
believe,  in  the  kingdom  of  Ireland,  to  be  compared  to 
these.  The  old  Earl  of  Desmond's  Castle  is  very  large, 
and  has  been  exceeding  strong.  Not  far  from  this, 
and  formerly  communicating  with  it  by  a  gallery,  is 
his  great  hall,  or  banqueting  room.  The  walls  are 
still  firm  and  entire ;  and  these  with  the  fine  carvings 
of  the  window-frames  (all  of  polished  marble),  give 
some  idea  of  what  it  was  once.  Its  last  master  lived 
like  a  prince  for  many  years,  and  rebelled  over  and 
over  against  Queen  Elizabeth.  After  his  last  rebellion, 
his  army  being  totally  routed,  he  fled  into  the  woods 
with  two  or  three  hundred  men.  But  the  pursuit  was 
so  hot,  that  these  were  soon  scattered  from  him,  and 
he  crept  alone  into  a  small  cabin.  He  was  sitting 
there,  when  a  soldier  came  in  and  struck  him.  He 
rose  and  said,  "  I  am  the  Earl  of  Desmond."  The 
wretch,  rejoicing  that  he  had  found  so  great  a  prize, 
cut  off  his  head  at  once.    Queen  Elizabeth  and  King 


Oct.  177 1    WESLEY  AT  SIXTY-EIGHT  S6L 


James  allowed  a  pension  to  his  relict  for  many  years. 
I  have  seen  a  striking  picture  of  her,  in  her  widow's 
weeds,  said  to  be  taken  when  she  was  an  hundred  and 
forty  years  old. 

At  a  small  distance  from  the  castle  stands  the  old 
abbey,  the  finest  ruin  of  the  kind  in  the  kingdom.  Not 
only  the  walls  of  the  church,  and  many  of  the  apartments, 
but  the  whole  cloisters  are  entire.  They  are  built  of 
black  marble  exquisitely  polished,  and  vaulted  over  with 
the  same.  So  that  they  are  as  firm  now  as  when  they 
were  built,  perhaps  seven  or  eight  hundred  years  ago ; 
and,  if  not  purposely  destroyed  (as  most  of  the  ancient 
buildings  in  Ireland  have  been),  may  last  these  thousand 
years.  But  add  these  to  the  years  they  have  stood 
already,  and  what  is  it  to  eternity  ?    A  moment ! 

Mon.  June  24. — This  day  I  entered  the  sixty-ninth 
year  of  my  age.  I  am  still  a  wonder  to  myself.  My 
voice  and  strength  are  the  same  as  at  nine-and-twenty 
This  also  hath  God  wrought. 

Wesley  in  Winchester  Cathedral 

Tues.  Oct.  I. — I  went  on  to  Salisbury.  Wednesday,  2. 
I  preached  at  Whitchurch;  Thursday,  3,  at  Winchester. 
I  now  found  time  to  take  a  view  of  the  cathedral.  Here 
the  sight  of  that  bad  Cardinal's  tomb,  whom  the  sculptor 
has  placed  in  a  posture  of  prayer,  brought  to  my  mind 
those  fine  lines  of  Shakespeare,  which  he  put  into  the 
mouth  of  King  Henry  the  Sixth : 

Lord  Cardinal, 
If  thou  hast  any  hope  of  Heaven's  grace, 
Give  us  a  sign.    He  dies,  and  makes  no  sign. 

On  Thursday  and  Friday  evening  I  preached  at 
Portsmouth  Common.  Saturday,  5.  I  set  out  at  two. 
About  ten  some  of  our  London  friends  met  me  at 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Nov.  1771 


Cobham,  with  whom  I  took  a  walk  in  the  neighbouring 
gardens,  inexpressibly  pleasant,  through  the  variety  of 
hills  and  dales,  and  the  admirable  contrivance  of  the 
whole.  And  jiow,  after  spending  his  life  in  bringing  it 
to  perfection,  the  grey-headed  owner  advertises  it  to  be 
sold !  Is  there  anything  under  the  sun  that  can  satisfy 
a  spirit  made  for  God  ? 

Wed.  1 6. — I  preached  at  South-Lye.  Here  it  was  that 
I  preached  my  first  sermon,  six-and-forty  years  ago. 
One  man  was  in  my  present  audience  who  heard  it. 
Most  of  the  rest  are  gone  to  their  long  home. 

Wed.  30. — I  walked  over  to  Winchelsea  from  Rye,  said 
to  have  been  once  a  large  city,  with  abundance  of  trade 
and  of  inhabitants,  the  sea  washing  the  foot  of  the  hill 
on  which  it  stands.  The  situation  is  exceeding  bold,  the 
hill  being  high  and  steep  on  all  sides.  But  the  town  is 
shrunk  almost  into  nothing,  and  the  seven  churches  into 
half  an  one.  I  preached  at  eleven  in  the  new  square, 
to  a  considerable  number  of  serious  people ;  and  at  Rye 
in  the  evening,  where  were  many  that  are  "  not  far  from 
the  kingdom  of  God." 

Tues.  Nov.  5.- — In  our  way  to  Bury  we  called  at 
Felsham,  near  which  is  the  seat  of  the  late  Mr.  Reynolds. 
The  house  is,  I  think,  the  best  contrived  and  the  most 
beautiful  I  ever  saw.  It  has  four  fronts,  and  five  rooms 
on  a  floor,  elegantly,  though  not  sumptuously,  furnished. 
At  a  small  distance  stands  a  delightful  grove.  On  every 
side  of  this,  the  poor,  rich  man,  who  had  no  hope 
beyond  the  grave,  placed  seats,  to  enjoy  life  as  long  as 
he  could.  But  being  resolved  none  of  his  family  should 
be  "  put  into  the  ground,"  he  built  a  structure  in  the 
midst  of  the  grove,  vaulted  above  and  beneath,  with 
niches  for  coffins,  strong  enough  to  stand  for  ages.  In 
one  of  these  he  had  soon  the  satisfaction  of  laying  the 


Dkc.  I77I      AN  UNCOMMON  HOUSE  367 


remains  of  his  only  child ;  and,  two  years  after,  those  ot 
his  wife.  After  two  years  more,  in  the  year  1759, 
having  eat,  and  drank,  and  forgotten  God,  for  eighty- 
four  years,  he  went  himself  to  give  an  account  of  his 
stewardship. 

Wesley  at  Windsor  Park 

Fri.  29. — We  viewed  the  improvements  of  that  active 
and  useful  man,  the  late  Duke  of  Cumberland.  The 
most  remarkable  work  is  the  triangular  tower  which  he 
built  on  the  edge  of  Windsor  Park.  It  is  surrounded 
with  shrubberies  and  woods,  having  some  straight,  some 
serpentine,  walks  in  them,  and  commands  a  beautiful 
prospect  all  three  ways :  a  very  extensive  one  to  the 
south-west.  In  the  lower  part  is  an  alcove,  which  must 
be  extremely  pleasant  in  a  summer  evening.  There  is  a 
little  circular  projection  at  each  corner,  one  of  which  is 
filled  by  a  geometrical  staircase :  the  other  two  contain 
little  apartments,  one  of  which  is  a  study.  I  was  agreeably 
surprised  to  find  many  of  the  books  not  only  religious, 
but  admirably  well  chosen.  Perhaps  the  great  man 
spent  many  hours  here,  with  only  him  that  seeth  in 
secret;  and  who  can  say  how  deep  that  change  went, 
which  was  so  discernible  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life  ? 

Hence  we  went  to  Mr.  Bateman's  house,  the  oddest 
I  ever  saw  with  my  eyes.  Everything  breathes  antiquity ; 
scarce  a  bedstead  is  to  be  seen  that  is  not  an  hundred 
and  fifty  years  old ;  and  everything  is  quite  out  of  the 
common  way:  he  scorns  to  have  anything  like  his 
neighbours.  For  six  hours,  I  suppose,  these  elegant 
oddities  would  much  delight  a  curious  man ;  but  after 
six  months  they  would  probably  give  him  no  more 
pleasure  than  a  collection  of  feathers. 

Mon.  Dec.  16. — I  rode  to  Dorking,  where  were  many 


368  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Dec.  177 1 

people;  but  none  were  cut  to  the  heart.  Tuesday,  17. 
I  went  on  to  Ryegate-place.  In  King  Henry  the 
Fourth's  time,  this  was  an  eminent  monastery.  At  the 
dissolution  of  monasteries,  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
great  spoiler,  Henry  the  Eighth.  Queen  Elizabeth, 
pleased  with  the  situation,  chose  it  for  one  of  her 
palaces.  The  gentleman  who  possesses  it  now  has 
entirely  changed  the  form  of  it;  pulling  down  whole 
piles  of  ancient  building,  and  greatly  altering  what 
remains.  Yet,  after  all  that  is  taken  away,  it  still  looks 
more  like  a  palace  than  a  private  house.  The  staircase 
is  of  the  same  model  with  that  at  Hampton-court :  one 
would  scarce  know  which  is  the  original.  The  chimney- 
piece  in  the  hall  is  probably  one  of  the  most  curious 
pieces  of  wood-work  now  in  the  kingdom.  But  how 
long?  How  many  of  its  once  bustling  inhabitants  are 
already  under  the  earth !  And  how  little  a  time  will  it 
be  before  the  house  itself,  yea,  the  earth  shall  be  burned 
up ! 

Sat.  21. — I  met  an  old  friend,  James  Hutton,  whom 
I  had  not  seen  for  five-and-twenty  years.  I  felt  this 
made  no  difference;  my  heart  was  quite  open;  his 
seemed  to  be  the  same ;  and  we  conversed  just  as  we 
did  in  1738,  when  we  met  in  Fetter  Lane. 

Monday,  23,  and  so  all  the  following  days,  when  I 
was  not  particularly  engaged,  I  spent  an  hour  in  the 
morning  with  our  preachers,  as  I  used  to  do  with  my 
pupils  at  Oxford.  Wednesday,  25.  I  preached  early  at 
the  Foundery;  morning  and  afternoon,  at  the  chapel. 
In  returning  thence  at  night,  a  coach  ran  full  against 
my  chaise,  and  broke  one  of  the  shafts  and  the  traces  in 
pieces.  I  was  thankful  that  this  was  all;  that  neither 
man  nor  beast  received  the  least  hurt. 

Mon.  30. — At  my  brother's  request,  I  sat  again  for 


Feb.  1772       AT  HAMPTON  COURT  369 

my  picture.  This  melancholy  employment  always 
reminds  me  of  that  natural  reflection — 

Behold,  what  frailty  we  in  man  may  see  I 
His  shadow  is  less  given  to  change  than  he; 

1772.   Tues.  Jan.  14. — I  spent  an  agreeable  hour  with 

Dr.  S  ,  the  oldest  acquaintance  I  now  have.    He  is 

the  greatest  genius  in  little  things  that  ever  fell  under 
my  notice.  Almost  everything  about  him  is  of  his  own 
invention,  either  in  whole  or  in  part.  Even  his  fire- 
screen, his  lamps  of  various  sorts,  his  ink-horn,  his  very 
save-all.  I  really  believe,  were  he  seriously  to  set  about 
it,  he  could  invent  the  best  mouse-trap  that  ever  was  in 
the  world, 

Wesley  as  Art  Critic 

Thur.  16. — I  set  out  for  Luton.  The  snow  lay  so 
deep  on  the  road,  that  it  was  not  without  much  difficulty, 
and  some  danger,  we  at  last  reached  the  town.  I  was 
offered  the  use  of  the  church :  the  frost  was  exceeding 
sharp,  and  the  glass  was  taken  out  of  the  windows. 
However,  for  the  sake  of  the  people,  I  accepted  the 
offer,  though  I  might  just  as  well  have  preached  in  the 
open  air.  I  suppose  four  times  as  many  people  were 
present,  as  would  have  been  at  the  room ;  and  about  an 
hundred  in  the  morning.  So  I  did  not  repent  of  my 
journey  through  the  snow. 

Fri.  Feb.  7. — I  called  on  a  friend  at  Hampton  Court, 
who  went  with  me  through  the  house.  It  struck  me 
more  than  anything  of  the  kind  I  have  seen  in  England, 
more  than  Blenheim  House  itself.  One  great  difference 
is,  everything  there  appears  designedly  grand  and 
splendid;  here  everything  is  quite,  as  it  were,  natural, 
and  one  thinks  it  cannot  be  otherwise.  If  the  expression 
may  be  allowed,  there  is  a  kind  of  stiffness  runs  through 

2  A 


370 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Feb.  1772 


the  one,  and  an  easiness  through  the  other.  Of  pictures 
I  do  not  pretend  to  be  a  judge;  but  there  is  one,  by 
Paul  Rubens,  which  particularly  struck  me,  both  with 
the  design  and^he  execution  of  it.  It  is  Zacharias  and 
Elizabeth,  with  John  the  Baptist,  two  or  three  years  old, 
coming  to  visit  Mary,  and  our  Lord  sitting  upon  her 
knee.  The  passions  are  surprisingly  expressed,  even  in 
the  children ;  but  I  could  not  see  either  the  decency  or 
common  sense  of  painting  them  stark  naked :  nothing 
can  defend  or  excuse  this :  it  is  shockingly  absurd,  even 
an  Indian  being  the  judge.  I  allow,  a  man  who  paints 
thus  may  have  a  good  hand,  but  certainly  no  brains. 

"Wesley  on  "A  Sentimental  Journey** 
Tues.  II. — I  casually  took  a  volume  of  what  is  called, 
"  A  Sentimental  Journey  through  France  and  Italy." 
Sentimental !  what  is  that  ?  It  is  not  English :  he 
might  as  well  say.  Continental.  It  is  not  sense.  It 
conveys  no  determinate  idea;  yet  one  fool  makes 
many.  And  this  nonsensical  word  (who  would  believe 
it  ?)  is  become  a  fashionable  one !  However,  the  book 
agrees  full  well  with  the  title  ;  for  one  is  as  queer  as  the 
other.  For  oddity,  uncouthness,  and  unlikeness  to 
all  the  world  beside,  I  suppose,  the  writer  is  without  a 
rival. 

Wed.  12. — In  returning,  I  read  a  very  different  book, 
published  by  an  honest  Quaker,  on  that  execrable  sum 
of  all  villanies,  commonly  called  the  Slave  Trade.  I 
read  of  nothing  like  it  in  the  heathen  world,  whether 
ancient  or  modern :  and  it  infinitely  exceeds,  in  every 
instance  of  barbarity,  whatever  Christian  slaves  suffer  in 
Mahometan  countries. 

Fri.  14. — I  began  to  execute  a  design,  which  had 
long  been  in  my  thoughts,  to  print  as  accurate  an 


April  1772     REMARKABLE  LETTERS 


371 


edition  of  my  works,  as  a  bookseller  would  do.  Surely 
I  ought  to  be  as  exact  for  God's  sake,  as  he  would  be 
for  money. 

Mod.  17. — One  gave  me  a  very  remarkable  relation: 
A  gay  young  woman  lately  came  up  to  London.  Curio- 
sity led  her  to  hear  a  sermon,  which  cut  her  to  the 
heart.  One  standing  by,  observed  how  she  was  affected, 
and  took  occasion  to  talk  with  her.  She  lamented  that 
she  should  hear  no  more  such  sermons,  as  she  was  to 
go  into  the  country  the  next  day  ;  but  begged  her  new 
acquaintance  to  wTite  to  her  there,  which  she  promised 
to  do.  In  the  country  her  convictions  so  increased, 
that  she  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  her  own  life.  With 
this  design  she  was  going  up  stairs,  when  her  father 
caled  her,  and  gave  her  a  letter  from  London.  It  was 
from  her  new  acquaintance,  who  told  her,  "  Christ  is 
just  ready  to  receive  you :  now  is  the  day  of  salvation." 
She  cried  out,  "  It  is,  it  is  !  Christ  is  mine  !  "  and  was 
filled  with  joy  unspeakable.  She  begged  her  father  to 
give  her  pen,  ink,  and  paper,  that  she  might  answer  her 
friend  immediately.  She  told  her  what  God  had  done 
for  her  soul,  and  added,  "  We  have  no  time  to  lose ! 
The  Lord  is  at  hand  !  Now,  even  now,  we  are  stepping 
into  eternity."  She  directed  her  letter,  dropped  down, 
and  died. 

Wesley  and  the  Boarding'school 

Fri.  21. — I  met  several  of  my  friends,  who  had  begun 
a  subscription  to  prevent  my  riding  on  horseback  ;  which 
I  cannot  do  quite  so  well,  since  a  hurt  which  I  got  some 
months  ago.  If  they  continue  it,  well  j  if  not,  I  shall 
have  strength  according  to  my  need. 

Mon.  April  6  (Manchester). — In  the  afternoon  I 
drank  tea  at  Am.  O.    But  how  was  I  shocked !  The 


372 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


April  1772 


children  that  used  to  cling  about  me,  and  drink  in  every 
word,  had  been  at  a  boarding-school.  There  they  had 
unlearned  all  religion,  and  even  seriousness ;  and  had 
learned  pride,^  vanity,  affectation,  and  whatever  could 
guard  them  against  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God. 
Methodist  parents,  who  would  send  your  girls  headlong 
to  hell,  send  them  to  a  fashionable  boarding-school  ! 

Tues.  14. — I  set  out  for  Carlisle.  A  great  part  of 
the  road  was  miserably  bad.  However,  we  reached  it 
in  the  afternoon,  and  found  a  small  company  of  plain, 
loving  people.  The  place  where  they  had  appointed  me 
to  preach  was  out  of  the  gate;  yet  it  was  tolerably 
filled  with  attentive  hearers.  Afterwards,  inquiring  for 
the  Glasgow  road,  I  found  it  was  not  much  round  to  go 
by  Edinburgh;  so  I  chose  that  road,  and  went  five 
miles  forward  this  evening,  to  one  of  our  friends'  houses. 
Here  we  had  an  hearty  welcome,  under  a  lowly  roof, 
with  sweet  and  quiet  rest. 

Wed.  15. — Though  it  was  a  lone  house,  we  had  a 
large  congregation  at  five  in  the  morning.  Afterwards 
we  rode  for  upwards  of  twenty  miles,  through  a  most 
delightful  country ;  the  fruitful  mountains  rising  on 
either  hand,  and  the  clear  stream  running  beneath. 
In  the  afternoon  we  had  a  furious  storm  of  rain  and 
snow :  however,  we  reached  Selkirk  safe.  Here  I 
observed  a  little  piece  of  stateliness  which  was  quite 
new  to  me  :  the  maid  came  in,  and  said,  "  Sir,  the  lord 
of  the  stable  waits  to  know  if  he  should  feed  your 
horses."  We  call  him  ostler  in  England.  After  supper 
all  the  family  seemed  glad  to  join  with  us  in  prayer. 

Thur.  16. — We  went  on  through  the  mountains, 
covered  with  snow,  to  Edinburgh. 

Sat.  18.— I  set  out  for  Glasgow.  One  would  rather 
have  imagined  it  was  the  middle  of  January  than  the 


April  1772     "MISEILABLE  BIGOTRY" 


373 


middle  of  April.  The  snow  covered  the  mountains  on 
either  hand,  and  the  frost  was  exceeding  sharp ;  so  I 
preached  within,  both  this  evening  and  on  Sunday 
morning.  But  in  the  evening  the  multitude  constrained 
me  to  stand  in  the  street.  My  text  was,  "  What  God 
has  cleansed,  that  call  not  thou  common."  Hence  I 
took  occasion  to  fall  upon  their  miserable  bigotry  for 
opinions  and  modes  of  worship.  Many  seemed  to  be 
not  a  little  convinced ;  but  how  long  will  the  impression 
continue  ? 

"Wesley  at  Greenock  and  Glasgow 
Hon.  20. — I  went  on  to  Greenock,  a  sea-port  town, 
twenty  miles  west  of  Glasgow.  It  is  built  very  much 
like  Plymouth  Dock,  and  has  a  safe  and  spacious 
harbour.  The  trade  and  inhabitants,  and  consequently 
the  houses,  are  increasing  swiftly ;  and  so  is  cursing, 
swearing,  drunkenness,  Sabbath-breaking,  and  all  manner 
of  wickedness.  Our  room  is  about  thrice  as  large  as 
that  at  Glasgow ;  but  it  would  not  near  contain  the  con- 
gregation. I  spoke  exceeding  plain,  and  not  without 
hope  that  we  may  see  some  fruit,  even  among  this 
hardhearted  generation. 

Tues.  21. — The  house  was  very  full  in  the  morning; 
and  they  showed  an  excellent  spirit ;  for  after  I  had 
spoke  a  few  words  on  the  head,  ever)-  one  stood  up  at 
the  singing.  In  the  afternoon  I  preached  at  Port- 
Glasgow,  a  large  town,  two  miles  east  of  Greenock. 
Many  gay  people  were  there,  careless  enough ;  but  the 
greater  part  seemed  to  hear  with  understanding.  In 
the  evening  I  preached  at  Greenock  ;  and  God  gave 
them  a  loud  call,  whether  they  will  hear  or  whether  they 
will  forbear. 

Wed.  22. — About  eight  I  preached  once  more  in  the 


374 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        April  1772 


Masons'  Lodge,  at  Port-Glasgow.  The  house  was  crowded 
greatly  ;  and  I  suppose  all  the  gentry  of  the  town  were 
part  of  the  congregation.  Resolving  not  to  shoot  over 
their  heads,  as  I  had  done  the  day  before,  I  spoke 
strongly  of  death  and  judgment,  heaven  and  hell.  This 
they  seemed  to  comprehend ;  and  there  was  no  more 
laughing  among  them,  or  talking  with  each  other ;  but 
all  were  quietly  and  deeply  attentive. 

In  the  evening,  when  I  began  at  Glasgow,  the  con- 
gregation being  but  small,  I  chose  a  subject  fit  for 
experienced  Christians ;  but  soon  after,  a  heap  of  fine 
gay  people  came  in  :  yet  I  could  not  decently  break  off 
what  I  was  about,  though  they  gaped  and  stared  abun- 
dantly. I  could  only  give  a  short  exhortation  in  the 
close,  more  suited  to  their  capacity. 

Wesley  Receives  the  Freedom  of  Perth 
Tues.  28  (Dunkeld).— We  walked  through  the  Duke 
of  Athol's  gardens,  in  which  was  one  thing  I  never  saw 
before — a  summer-house  in  the  middle  of  a  green- 
house, by  means  of  which  one  might  in  the  depth  of 
winter  enjoy  the  warmth  of  May,  and  sit  surrounded 
with  greens  and  flowers  on  every  side. 

In  the  evening  I  preached  once  more  at  Perth,  to  a 
large  and  serious  congregation.  Afterwards  they  did 
me  an  honour  I  never  thought  of — presented  me  with 
the  freedom  of  the  city. 

In  my  way  to  Perth,  I  read  over  the  first  volume  of 
Dr.  Robertson's  "  History  of  Charles  the  Fifth."  I 
know  not  when  I  have  been  so  disappointed.  It  might 
as  well  be  called  the  History  of  Alexander  the  Great. 
Here  is  a  quarto  volume  of  eight  or  ten  shillings'  price, 
containing  dry,  verbose  dissertations  on  feudal  govern- 
ment, the  substance  of  all  which  might  be  comprised  in 


May  1772      A  MISERABLE  READER 


375 


half  a  sheet  of  paper !  But  "  Charles  the  Fifih  !  "  Where 
is  Charles  the  Fifth  ? 

Leave  off  thy  reflections,  and  give  tis  thy  tale  I 

Wed.  29. — I  went  on  to  Brechin,  and  preached  in 
the  town-hall  to  a  congregation  of  all  sorts,  Seceders, 
Glassites,  Nonjurors,  and  what  not  ?  O  what  excuse  have 
ministers  in  Scotland  for  not  declaring  the  whole  counsel 
of  God,  where  the  bulk  of  the  people  not  only  endure, 
but  love  plain  dealing ! 

Friday  and  Saturday. — I  rested  at  Aberdeen. 

Sun.  May  3. — I  went  in  the  morning  to  the  English 
church.  Here,  likewise,  I  could  not  but  admire 
the  exemplary  decency  of  the  congregation.  This  was 
the  more  remarkable,  because  so  miser-able  a  reader 
I  never  heard  before.  Listening  with  all  attention,  I 
understood  but  one  single  word,  Balak,  in  the  first 
lesson;  and  one  more,  begat,  was  all  I  could  possibly 
distinguish  in  the  second.  Is  there  no  man  of  spirit 
belonging  to  this  congregation  ?  Why  is  such  a 
burlesque  upon  public  worship  suffered  ?  Would  it 
not  be  far  better  to  pay  this  gentleman  for  doing 
nothing,  than  for  doing  mischief ;  for  bringing  a  scandal 
upon  religion  ? 

About  three  I  preached  at  the  College  kirk  in  the  Old 
Town  to  a  large  congregation,  rich  and  poor ;  at  six,  in 
our  own  house,  on  the  narrow  way.  I  spoke  exceeding 
plain,  both  this  evening  and  the  next;  yet  none  were 
offended.  What  encouragement  has  every  preacher  in 
this  country,  "  by  manifestation  of  the  truth,"  to  "  com- 
mend "  himself  "  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight 
of  God !  " 

Tues.  5. — In  the  evening  I  preached  in  the  new 
house  at  Arbroath  (properly  Aberbrotheck).    In  this 


376  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1772 

town  there  is  a  change  indeed  !  It  was  wicked  to  a 
proverb;  remarkable  for  Sabbath-breaking,  cursing, 
swearing,  drunkenness,  and  a  general  contempt  of  reli- 
gion. But  it  i^  not  so  now.  Open  wickedness  disap- 
pears; no  oaths  are  heard,  no  drunkenness  seen  in  the 
streets.  And  many  have  not  only  ceased  from  evil,  and 
learned  to  do  well,  but  are  witnesses  of  the  inward 
kingdom  of  God,  "  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost." 

Wed.  6. — The  magistrates  here  also  did  me  the 
honour  of  presenting  me  with  the  freedom  of  their  cor- 
poration. I  value  it  as  a  token  of  their  respect,  though 
I  shall  hardly  make  any  farther  use  of  it. 

Wesley  Visits  the  Bass  Rock 
Wed.  20 — In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Dunbar. 
Thursday,  21.  I  went  to  the  Bass,  seven  miles  from  it, 
which,  in  the  horrid  reign  of  Charles  the  Second,  was  the 
prison  of  those  venerable  men  who  suffered  the  loss  of  all 
things  for  a  good  conscience.  It  is  a  high  rock  sur- 
rounded by  the  sea,  two  or  three  miles  in  circumference, 
and  about  two  miles  from  the  shore.  The  strong  east 
wind  made  the  water  so  rough,  that  the  boat  could 
hardly  live :  and  when  we  came  to  the  only  landing, 
place  (the  other  sides  being  quite  perpendicular),  it  was 
with  much  difificulty  that  we  got  up,  climbing  on  our 
hands  and  knees.  The  castle,  as  one  may  judge  by 
what  remains,  was  utterly  inaccessible.  The  walls  of  the 
chapel,  and  of  the  Governor's  house,  are  tolerably  entire. 
The  garden  walls  are  still  seen  near  the  top  of  the  rock, 
with  the  well  in  the  midst  of  it.  And  round  the  walls 
there  are  spots  of  grass,  that  feed  eighteen  or  twenty 
sheep. 

But  the  proper  rlatives  of  the  island  are  Solund-geese, 


June  1772         THE  SOLUND-GEESE  S77 

a  bird  about  the  size  of  a  Muscovy  duck,  which  breed 
by  thousands,  from  generation  to  generation,  on  the 
sides  of  the  rock.  It  is  peculiar  to  these,  that  they  lay 
but  one  egg,  which  they  do  not  sit  upon  at  all,  but  keep 
it  under  one  foot  (as  we  saw  with  our  eyes),  till  it  is 
hatched.  How  many  prayers  did  the  holy  men  confined 
here  offer  up,  in  that  evil  day  !  And  how  many  thanks- 
givings should  we  return,  for  all  the  liberty,  civil  and 
rehgious,  which  we  enjoy  ! 

At  our  return,  we  walked  over  the  ruins  of  Tantallon 
Castle,  once  the  seat  of  the  great  Earls  of  Douglas.  The 
front  walls  (it  was  four  square)  are  still  standing,  and  by 
their  vast  height  and  huge  thickness,  give  us  a  little  idea 
of  what  it  once  was.    Such  is  human  greatness  ! 

Fri.  2  2. — We  took  a  view  of  the  famous  Roman 
camp,  lying  on  a  mountain,  two  or  three  miles  from 
the  town.  It  is  encompassed  with  two  broad  and  deep 
ditches,  and  is  not  easy  of  approach  on  any  side.  Here 
lay  General  Lesley  with  his  army,  while  Cromwell  was 
starving  below.  He  had  no  way  to  escape ;  but  the 
enthusiastic  fury  of  the  Scots  delivered  him.  When 
they  marched  into  the  valley  to  swallow  him  up,  he 
mowed  them  down  like  grass. 

Sat.  23. — I  went  on  to  Alnwick,  and  preached  in  the 
town  hall.  What  a  difference  between  an  English  and  a 
Scotch  congregation  !  These  judge  themselves  rather 
than  the  preacher ;  and  their  aim  is,  not  only  to  know, 
but  to  love  and  obey. 

Through  the  Dales 
Mon.  June  i. — I  began  a  little  tour  through  the 
Dales.    About  nine,  I  preached  at  Kiphill  j  at  one,  at 
Wolsingham.    Here  we  began  to  trace  the  revival  of  the 
work  of  God ;  and  here  began  the  horrid  mountains  we 


378  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Sept.  1772 

had  to  climb  over.  However,  before  six,  we  reached 
Barnard  Castle.  I  preached  at  the  end  of  the  preaching- 
house,  to  a  large  congregation  of  established  Christians. 
At  five  in  the  morning,  the  house  was  near  full  of 
persons  ripe  for  the  height  and  depth  of  the  Gospel. 

Tues.  2. — We  rode  to  New-Orygan  in  Tecsdale.  The 
people  were  deeply  attentive ;  but,  I  think,  not  deeply 
affected.  From  the  top  of  the  next  enormous  mountain, 
we  had  a  view  of  Weardale.  It  is  a  lovely  prospect. 
The  green  gently  rising  meadows  and  fields,  on  both 
sides  of  the  little  river,  clear  as  crystal,  were  sprinkled 
over  with  innumerable  little  houses  ;  three  in  four  of 
which  (if  not  nine  in  ten)  are  sprung  up  since  the 
Methodists  came  hither.  Since  that  time,  the  beasts  are 
turned  into  men,  and  the  wilderness  into  a  fruitful  field. 

Thur.  4. — At  five  I  took  my  leave  of  this  blessed 
people.  I  was  a  little  surprised,  in  looking  attentively 
upon  them,  to  observe  so  many  beautiful  faces  as  I  never 
saw  before  in  one  congregation  ;  many  of  the  children  in 
particular,  twelve  or  fourteen  of  whom  (chiefly  boys)  sat 
full  in  my  view.  But  I  allow,  much  more  might  be 
owing  to  grace  than  nature,  to  the  heaven  within,  that 
shone  outward. 

Field'preaching  as  Wesley's  Cross 
Fri.  Aug.  21. — I  preached  again  about  eight,  and  then 
rode  back  to  Harford.  After  dinner  we  hasted  to  the 
Passage ;  but  the  watermen  were  not  in  haste  to  fetch 
us  over ;  so  I  sat  down  on  a  convenient  stone,  and 
finished  the  little  tract  I  had  in  hand.  However,  I  got 
to  Pembroke  in  time,  and  preached  in  the  town  hall, 
where  we  had  a  solemn  and  comfortable  opportunity. 
y  Sun.  Sept.  6. — I  preached  on  the  quay,  at  Kingswood, 
and  near  King's  Square.    To  this  day  field-preaching  is 


Oct.  1772        A  CURIOUS  DREAM 


379 


a  cross  to  me.  But  I  know  my  commission,  and  see 
no  other  way  of  "  preaching  the  Gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture," 

Wed.  Oct.  14. — A  book  was  given  me  to  write  on,  "  The 
Works  of  Mr.  Thomson,"  of  whose  poetical  abilities  I 
had  always  had  a  very  low  opinion  ;  but  looking  into  one 
of  his  tragedies,  "  Edward  and  Eleonora,"  I  was  agree- 
ably surprised.  The  sentiments  are  just  and  noble  ;  the 
diction  strong,  smooth,  and  elegant ;  and  the  plot  con- 
ducted with  the  utmost  art,  and  wrought  off  in  a  most 
surprising  manner.  It  is  quite  his  masterpiece,  and  I 
really  think  might  vie  with  any  modern  performance  of 
the  kind. 

Good  or  Bad  Spirits? 

Sat.  31. — A  young  man  of  good  sense,  and  an  un- 
blamable character,  gave  me  a  strange  account  of  what 
(he  said)  had  happened  to  himself,  and  three  other 
persons  in  the  same  house.  As  I  knew  they  all  feared 
God,  I  thought  the  matter  deserved  a  farther  examina- 
tion. So  in  the  afternoon  I  talked  largely  with  them 
all.    The  sum  of  their  account  was  this  : 

"  Near  two  years  ago,  Martin  S          and  William 

J  saw,  in  a  dream,  two  or  three  times  repeated  to 

each  of  them,  a  person  who  told  them  there  was  a  large 
treasure  hid  in  such  a  spot,  three  miles  from  Norwich, 
consisting  of  money  and  plate,  buried  in  a  chest, 
between  six  and  eight  feet  deep.  They  did  not  much 
regard  this,  till  each  of  them,  when  they  were  broad 
awake,  saw  an  elderly  man  and  woman  standing  by  their 
bedside,  who  told  them  the  same  thing,  and  bade  them 
go  and  dig  it  up,  between  eight  and  twelve  at  night. 
Soon  after,  they  went ;  but,  being  afraid,  took  a  third 
man  with  them.    They  began  digging  at  eight,  and  after 


380 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Nov.  1772 


they  had  dug  six  feet,  saw  the  top  of  a  coffer,  or  chest. 
But  presently  it  sunk  down  into  the  earth ;  and  there 
appeared  over  the  place  a  large  globe  of  bright  fire, 
which,  after  some  time,  rose  higher  and  higher,  till  it 
was  quite  out  of  sight.  Not  long  after,  the  man  and 
woman  appeared  again,  and  said,  '  You  spoiled  all,  by 
bringing  that  man  with  you.'    From  this  time,  both 

they  and  Sarah  and  Mary  J  ,  who  live  in  the  same 

house  with  them,  have  heard,  several  times  in  a  week, 
delightful  music,  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  at  a  time. 
They  often  hear  it  before  those  persons  appear ;  often 
when  they  do  not  appear."  They  asked  me  whether 
they  were  good  or  bad  spirits ;  but  I  could  not  resolve 
them. 

A  Remarkable  Dream 

Tues.  Nov.  17. — One  was  jelating  a  remarkable  story, 
which  I  thought  worthy  to  be  remembered.  Two  years 
ago,  a  gentleman  of  large  fortune  in  Kent  dreamed  that 
he  was  walking  through  the  churchyard,  and  saw  a 
new  monument  with  the  following  inscription : 

1|ere  It'M  ttie  iSollB 

OF 

SAMUEL  SAVAGE,  ESQ., 

WHO  DEPARTED  THIS  LIFE  ON  SEPTEMBER  — ,  177a,  AGKD  — v 

He  told  his  friends  in  the  morning,  and  was  much 
affected  :  but  the  impression  soon  wore  off.  But  on 
that  day  he  did  depart ;  and  a  stone  was  erected  with 
that  very  inscription. 

A  gentlewoman  present  added  a  relation  equally  sur- 
prising, which  she  received  from  the  person's  own 
mouth  : 


Nov.  1772     TRAGEDY  IN  A  DREAM  381 

"  Mrs.  B  ,  when  about  fourteen  years  of  age, 

being  at  a  boarding-school,  a  mile  or  two  from  her 
father's,  dreamed  she  was  on  the  top  of  the  church- 
steeple,  when  a  man  came  up,  and  threw  her  down  to 
the  roof  of  the  church.  Yet  she  seemed  not  much  hurt, 
till  he  came  to  her  again,  and  threw  her  to  the  bottom. 
She  thought  she  looked  hard  at  him,  and  said,  '  Now  you 
have  hurt  me  sadly,  but  I  shall  hurt  you  worse ' ;  and 
waked.  A  week  after,  she  was  to  go  to  her  father's. 
She  set  out  early  in  the  morning.  At  the  entrance  of  a 
little  wood,  she  stopped,  and  doubted  whether  she 
should  not  go  round,  instead  of  through  it.  But, 
knowing  no  reason,  she  went  straight  through,  till  she 
came  to  the  other  side.  Just  as  she  was  going  over  the 
style,  a  man  pulled  her  back  by  the  hair.  She  immedi- 
ately knew  it  was  the  same  man  whom  she  had  seen  in 
her  dream.  She  fell  on  her  knees,  and  begged  him, 
« For  God's  sake,  do  not  hurt  me  any  more.'  He  put 
his  hands  round  her  neck,  and  squeezed  her  so,  that  she 
instantly  lost  her  senses.  He  then  stripped  her,  carried 
her  a  little  way,  and  threw  her  into  a  ditch. 

"  Meantime,  her  father's  servant  coming  to  the  school, 
and  hearing  she  was  gone  without  him,  walked  back. 
Coming  to  the  style,  he  heard  several  groans,  and, 
looking  about,  saw  many  drops  of  blood.  He  traced 
them  to  the  ditch,  whence  the  groans  came.  He  lifted 
her  up,  not  knowing  her  at  all,  as  her  face  was  covered 
with  blood,  carried  her  to  a  neighbouring  house,  and 
running  to  the  village,  quickly  brought  a  surgeon.  She 
was  just  alive ;  but  her  throat  was  much  hurt,  so  that 
she  could  not  speak  at  all. 

"  Just  then  a  young  man  of  the  village  was  missing. 
Search  being  made,  he  was  apprehended  in  an  alehouse 
two  miles  off.    He  had  all  her  clothes  with  him  in  a 


382  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  1773 

bag,  which,  he  said,  he  found.  It  was  three  months 
before  she  was  able  to  go  abroad.  He  was  arraigned  at 
the  Assizes.  She  knew  him  perfectly,  and  swore  to  the 
man.    He  was^condemned,  and  soon  after  executed." 

Wed.  Dec.  2. — I  preached  at  the  new  preaching- 
house,  in  the  parish  of  Bromley.  In  speaking  severally 
to  the  members  of  the  society,  I  was  surprised  at  the 
openness  and  artlessness  of  the  people.  Such  I  should 
never  have  expected  to  find  within  ten  miles  of  London. 

Wesley's  Letters  and  Friends 

1773.  Fri.  Jan.  i. — We  (as  usual)  solemnly  renewed 
our  covenant  with  God. 

Mon.  4. — I  began  revising  my  letters  and  papers. 
One  of  them  was  wrote  above  an  hundred  and  fifty  years 
ago  (in  1619),  I  suppose,  by  my  grandfather's  father,  to 
her  he  was  to  marry  in  a  few  days.  Several  were  wrote 
by  my  brothers  and  me  when  at  school,  many  while  we 
were  at  the  University;  abundantly  testifying  (if  it  be 
worth  knowing)  what  was  our  aim  from  our  youth  up. 

Thur.  7. — I  called  where  a  child  was  dying  of  the 
smallpox,  and  rescued  her  from  death  and  the  doctors, 
who  were  giving  her  saffron,  &c.,  to  drive  them  out ! 
Can  any  one  be  so  ignorant  still  ? 

We  observed  Friday  8,  as  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer,  on  account  of  the  general  want  of  trade  and 
scarcity  of  provisions.  The  next  week  I  made  an  end 
of  revising  my  letters  ;  and  from  those  I  had  both  wrote 
and  received,  I  could  not  but  make  one  remark — that 
for  above  these  forty  years,  of  all  the  friends  who  were 
once  the  most  closely  united,  and  afterwards  separated 
from  me,  every  one  had  separated  himself !  He  left  me, 
not  I  him.  And  from  both  mine  and  their  own  letters, 
the  steps  whereby  they  did  this  are  clear  and  undeniable 


Feb.  1.773    A  REMARKABLE  PARAGRAPH  .;S,1 


Wed.  Feb.  24. — A  very  remarkable  paragraph  was 
published  in  one  of  the  Edinburgh  papers  : 

"  We  learn  from  the  Rosses,  in  the  county  of  Donegal, 
in  Ireland,  that  a  Danish  man-of-war,  called  the  Nori/i 
Crown,  commanded  by  the  Baron  D'Ulfeld,  arrived  off 
those  islands,  from  a  voyage  of  discovery  towards  the 
Pole.  They  sailed  from  Bornholme,  in  Norway,  the  ist 
of  June  1769,  with  stores  for  eighteen  months,  and 
some  able  astronomers,  landscape-painters,  and  every 
apparatus  suitable  to  the  design ;  and  steering  N.  by 
E.  half  E.,  for  thirty-seven  days,  with  a  fair  wind  and 
open  sea,  discovered  a  large  rocky  island,  which  having 
doubled,  they  proceeded  W.N.W.,  till  the  17th  of 
September,  when  they  found  themselves  in  a  strong 
current,  between  two  high  lands,  seemingly  about  ten 
leagues  distant,  which  carried  them  at  a  prodigious  rate 
for  three  days  when,  to  their  great  joy,  they  saw  the 
main  land  of  America,  that  lies  between  the  most  westerly 
part  of  the  settlements  on  Hudson's  River  and  California. 
Here  they  anchored  in  a  fine  cove,  and  found  abundance 
of  wild  deer  and  buffaloes,  with  which  they  victualled  ; 
and  sailing  southward,  in  three  months  got  into  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  and  returned  by  the  Straits  of  Le  Maine 
and  the  West  India  Islands.  They  have  brought  many 
curiosities,  particularly  a  prodigious  bird,  called  a  contor, 
or  contose,  above  six  feet  m  height,  of  the  eagle  kind, 
whose  wings,  expanded,  measure  twenty-two  feet  four 
inches.  After  bartering  some  skins  with  the  country 
people,  for  meal,  rum,  and  other  necessaries,  they  sailed 
for  Bremen,  to  wait  the  thaw,  previous  to  their  return  to 
Copenhagen. 

'February  24,  1773." 

If  this  account  is  true,  one  would  hope  not  only  the 


384, 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        April  1773 


King  of  Denmark  will  avail  himself  of  so  important  a 
discovery. 

I  came  to  Liverpool  on  Saturday,  March  20. 

Mon.  22. — The  captain  was  in  haste  to  get  my  chaise 
on  board.  About  eleven  we  went  on  board  ourselves  : 
and  before  one,  we  ran  on  a  sand  bank.  So,  the  ship 
being  fast,  we  went  ashore  again. 

Tues.  23. — We  embarked  again  on  board  the  Free- 
mason, with  six  other  cabin-passengers,  four  gentlemen, 
and  two  gentlewomen,  one  of  whom  was  daily  afraid  of 
falling  in  labour.  This  gave  me  several  opportunities  of 
talking  closely  and  of  praying  with  her  and  her  com- 
panion. We  did  not  come  abreast  of  Holyhead  till 
Thursday  morning.  We  had  then  a  strong  gale,  and  a 
rolling  sea.  Most  of  the  passengers  were  sick  enough, 
but  it  did  not  affect  me  at  all.  In  the  evening  the 
gentlemen  desired  I  would  pray  with  them ;  so  we  con- 
cluded the  day  in  a  solemn  and  comfortable  manner. 

Wesley  and  his  Chaise 
Fri.  26. — We  landed  at  Dunleary,  and  hired  a  coach 
to  Dublin. 

On  Monday  and  Tuesday  I  examined  the  society,  a 
little  lessened,  but  now  well  united  together.  I  was  a 
little  surprised  to  find  the  Commissioners  of  the  Customs 
would  not  permit  my  chaise  to  be  landed,  because,  they 
said,  the  captain  of  a  packet-boat  had  no  right  to  bring 
over  goods.  Poor  pretence !  However,  I  was  more 
obliged  to  them  than  I  then  knew  ;  for  had  it  come  on 
shore,  it  would  have  been  utterly  spoiled. 

Mon.  April  5. — Having  hired  such  a  chaise  as  I  could, 
I  drove  to  Edinderry. 

Mon.  12. — I  preached  at  Ballinasloe  and  Aghrim. 

Tues.  13. — As  I  went  into  Eyre  Court,  the  street  was 


April  1773       THE  CHAISE  UPSET 


385 


full  of  people,  who  gave  us  a  loud  huzza  when  we  passed 
through  the  market-place.  I  preached  in  the  open  air, 
to  a  multitude  of  people,  all  civil,  and  most  of  them 
serious.  A  great  awakening  has  been  in  this  town 
lately;  and  many  of  the  most  notorious  and  profligate 
sinners  are  entirely  changed,  and  are  happy  witnesses  of 
the  gospel  salvation. 

Incidents  m  Ireland 

Wed.  21. — Some  applied  to  the  Quakers  at  Ennis- 
corthy,  for  the  use  of  their  meeting-house.  They  refused  : 
so  I  stood  at  Hugh  M'Laughlin's  door,  and  both  those 
within  and  without  could  hear.  I  was  in  doubt  which 
way  to  take  from  hence,  one  of  my  chaise-horses  being 
much  tired ;  till  a  gentleman  of  Ballyrane,  near  Wexford, 
told  me,  if  I  would  preach  at  his  house  the  next  evening, 
he  would  meet  me  on  the  road  with  a  fresh  horse.  So  I 
complied,  though  it  was  some  miles  out  of  the  way. 
Accordingly,  he  met  us  on  Thurday  22,  six  or  seven 
miles  from  Enniscorthy.  But  we  found  his  mare  would 
not  draw  at  all :  so  we  were  forced  to  go  on  as  we 
could.  I  preached  in  the  evening  at  Ballyrane,  to  a 
deeply  serious  congregation.  Early  in  the  morning  we 
set  out,  and,  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  came  to  Ballibac- 
ferry. 

A  troop  of  sailors  ran  down  to  the  shore,  to  see  the 
chaise  put  into  the  boat.  I  was  walking  at  a  small 
distance,  when  I  heard  them  cry  out,  "  Avast  !  Avast  1 
The  coach  is  overset  into  the  river."  I  thought,  "  How- 
ever, it  is  well  my  bags  are  on  shore ;  so  my  papers  are 
not  spoiled."  In  less  than  an  hour  they  fished  up  the 
chaise,  and  got  it  safe  into  the  boat.  As  it  would  not 
hold  us  all,  I  got  in  myself,  leaving  the  horses  to  come 
after.    At  half-hour  after  three  I  came  to  Passage. 


386  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  177^ 

Finding  no  post-chaise  could  be  had,  and  having  no 
time  to  spare,  I  walked  on  (six  or  seven  miles)  to  Water- 
ford,  and  began  preaching  without  delay,  on,  "  My  yoke 
is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light." 

Sun.  25. — Word  being  brought  me  that  the  Mayor 
was  willing  I  should  preach  in  the  bowling-green,  I  went 
thither  in  the  evening.  An  huge  multitude  was  quickly 
gathered  together.  I  preached  on,  "  I  saw  the  dead, 
small  and  great,  stand  before  God."  Some  attempted 
to  disturb,  but  without  success  ;  the  bulk  of  the  congre- 
gation being  deeply  attentive.  But  as  I  was  drawing  to 
a  conclusion,  some  of  the  Papists  set  on  their  work  in 
earnest.  They  knocked  down  John  Christian,  with  two 
or  three  more,  who  endeavoured  to  quiet  them;  and 
then  began  to  roar  like  the  waves  of  the  sea ;  but 
hitherto  could  they  come,  and  no  farther.  Some  gentle- 
men, who  stood  near  me,  rushed  into  the  midst  of  them ; 
and,  after  bestowing  some  heavy  blows,  seized  the  ring- 
leader, and  delivered  him  to  the  constable ;  and  one  of 
them  undertook  to  conduct  me  home.  So  few  received 
any  hurt,  but  the  rioters  themselves ;  which,  I  trust,  will 
make  them  more  peaceable  for  the  time  to  come. 

A  Neglected  School 

Thur.  May  13. — We  went  on,  through  a  most  dreary 
country,  to  Galway ;  where,  at  the  late  survey,  there 
were  twenty  thousand  Papists,  and  five  hundred  Pro- 
testants. But  which  of  them  are  Christians,  have  the 
mind  that  was  in  Christ,  and  walk  as  He  walked  ?  And 
without  this,  how  little  does  it  avail,  whether  they  are 
called  Protestants  or  Papists !  At  six  I  preached  in  the 
court-house,  to  a  large  congregation,  who  all  behaved  well. 

Fri.  14. — In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Ballinrobe; 
and  on  Saturday  went  on  to  Castlebar.    Entering  the 


Mav  1773  A  PICTURE  OF  SLOTHFULNESS  S87 


town,  I  was  struck  with  the  sight  of  the  Charter-school ; 
— no  gate  to  the  courtyard,  a  large  chasm  in  the  wall, 
heaps  of  rubbish  before  the  house-door,  broken  windows 
in  abundance ;  the  whole  a  picture  of  slothfulness,  nasti- 
ness,  and  desolation ! 

I  did  not  dream  there  were  any  inhabitants,  till,  the 
next  day,  I  saw  about  forty  boys  and  girls  walking  from 
church.  As  I  was  just  behind  them,  I  could  not  but 
observe,  i.  That  there  was  neither  master  nor  mistress, 
though,  it  seems,  they  were  both  well :  2.  That  both 
boys  and  girls  were  completely  dirty  :  3.  That  none  of 
them  seemed  to  have  any  garters  on,  their  stockings 
hanging  about  their  heels  :  4.  That  in  the  heels,  even  of 
many  of  the  girls'  stockings,  were  holes  larger  than  a 
crown-piece.  I  gave  a  plain  account  of  these  things  to 
the  trustees  of  the  Charter-school  in  Dubhn  :  whether 
they  are  altered  or  no,  I  cannot  tell. 

Mobbed  by  Masons 
Men.  24. — About  noon  I  preached  at  Tonnylommon. 

One  of  my  horses  having  a  shoe  loose,  I  borrowed 
Mr.  Watson's  horse,  and  left  him  with  the  chaise. 
■WTien  we  came  near  Enniskillen,  I  desired  two  only  to 
ride  with  me,  and  the  rest  of  our  friends  to  keep  at  a 
distance.  Some  masons  were  at  work  on  the  first 
bridge,  who  gave  us  some  coarse  words.  We  had 
abundance  more  as  we  rode  through  the  town ;  but 
many  soldiers  being  in  the  street,  and  taking  knowledge 
of  me  in  a  respectful  manner,  the  mob  shrunk  back. 
An  hour  after  Mr.  Watson  came  in  the  chaise.  Before 
he  came  to  the  bridge  many  ran  together,  and  began  to 
throw  whatever  came  next  to  hand.  The  bridge  itself 
they  had  blocked  up  with  large  stones,  so  that  a  carriage 
could  not  pass ;  but  an  old  man  cried  out,  "  Is  this  the 


^88 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1773 


way  you  use  strangers  ?  "  and  rolled  away  the  stones. 
The  mob  quickly  rewarded  him  by  plastering  him  over 
with  mortar  from  head  to  foot.  They  then  fell  upon 
the  carriage,  wh'ich  they  cut  with  stones  in  several  places, 
and  well  nigh  covered  with  dirt  and  mortar.  From  one 
end  of  the  town  to  the  other,  the  stones  flew  thick  about 
the  coachman's  head.  Some  of  them  were  two  or  thiee 
pounds'  weight,  which  they  threw  with  all  their  might. 
If  but  one  of  them  had  struck  him,  it  would  have 
effectually  prevented  him  from  driving  any  farther  ;  and, 
then,  doubtless,  they  would  have  given  an  account  of  the 
chaise  and  horses. 

I  preached  at  Sydore  in  the  evening  and  morning, 
and  then  set  out  for  Roosky.  The  road  lay  not  far 
from  Enniskillen.  When  we  came  pretty  near  the  town, 
both  men  and  women  saluted  us,  first  with  bad  words, 
and  then  with  dirt  and  stones.  My  horses  soon  left 
them  behind ;  but  not  till  they  had  broke  one  of  the 
windows,  the  glass  of  which  came  pouring  in  upon  me; 
but  did  me  no  further  hurt. 

About  an  hour  after,  John  Smith  came  to  Enniskillen. 
The  masons  on  the  bridge  preparing  for  battle,  he  was 
afraid  his  horse  would  leap  with  him  into  the  river ;  and 
therefore  chose  to  alight.  Immediately  they  poured  in 
upon  him  a  whole  shower  of  dirt  and  stones.  However, 
he  made  his  way  through  the  town,  though  pretty  much 
daubed  and  bruised. 

Wed.  26. — We  set  out  at  half-hour  past  two,  and 
reached  Omagh  a  little  before  eleven.  Finding  I  could 
not  reach  Ding-bridge  by  two  o'clock  in  the  chaise,  I 
rode  forward  with  all  the  speed  I  could ;  but  the  horse 
dropping  a  shoe,  I  was  so  retarded  that  I  did  not  reach 
the  place  till  between  three  and  four.  I  found  the 
minister  and  the  people  waiting ;  but  the  church  would 


June  1773       A  PRIMATE'S  DESIGNS  389 

not  near  contain  them ;  so  I  preached  near  it  to  a 
mixed  multitude  of  rich  and  poor,  Churchmen,  Papists, 
and  Presbyterians.  I  was  a  Uttle  weary  and  faint  when 
I  came,  the  sun  having  shone  exceeding  hot ;  but  the 
number  and  behaviour  of  the  congregation  made  me 
forget  my  own  weariness. 

Having  a  good  horse,  I  rode  to  the  place  where  I  was 
to  lodge  (two  miles  off)  in  about  an  hour.  Alter  tea 
they  told  me  another  congregation  was  waiting  :  so  I 
began  preaching  without  delay ;  and  warned  them  of  the 
madness  which  was  spreading  among  them,  namely, 
leaving  the  church.  Most  of  them,  I  believe,  will  take 
the  advice ;  I  hope  all  that  are  of  our  society. 

Wesley  at  Derry  and  Armagh 
Thur.  27. — I  went  on  to  Londonderry.  Friday,  28. 
I  was  invited  to  see  the  bishop's  palace  (a  grand  and 
beautiful  structure),  and  his  garden,  newly  laid,  and 
exceeding  pleasant.  Here  I  innocently  gave  some 
offence  to  the  gardener,  by  mentioning  the  English  of  a 
Greek  word.  But  he  set  us  right,  warmly  assuring  us 
that  the  English  name  of  the  flower  is  not  Crane's  bill, 
but  Geranium ! 

Sat.  29. — We  walked  out  to  one  of  the  pleasantest 
spots  which  I  have  seen  in  the  kingdom.  It  is  a  garden 
laid  out  on  the  steep  side  of  an  hill ;  one  shady  walk  of 
which,  in  particular,  commands  all  the  vale  and  the  hill 
beyond.    The  owner  finished  his  walks — and  died. 

Sat.  June  5.  Armagh. — I  walked  over  the  fine 
improvements  which  the  Primate  has  made  near  his 
lodge.  The  ground  is  hardly  two  miles  round ;  but  it 
is  laid  out  to  the  best  advantage.  Part  is  garden,  part 
meadow,  part  planted  with  shrubs  or  trees  of  various 
kinds.    The  house  is  built  of  fine  white  stone,  and  is  fit 


390  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1773 


for  a  nobleman.  He  intends  to  carry  away  a  bog  which 
lies  behind  it,  and  have  a  large  piece  of  water  in  its 
place.  He  intends  also  to  improve  the  town  greatly, 
and  to  execute  many  other  grand  designs ;  I  doubt  too 
many  even  for  a  Primate  of  Ireland,  that  is  above 
seventy  years  old  1 

The  Speaking  Statue  Again 
Mon.  14. — After  preaching  at  Lurgan,  I  inquired  of 
Mr.  Miller,  whether  he  had  any  thoughts  of  perfecting 
his  speaking  statue,  which  had  so  long  lain  by.  He 
said  he  had  altered  his  design ;  that  he  intended,  if  he 
had  life  and  health,  to  make  two,  which  would  not  only 
speak,  but  sing  hymns  alternately  with  an  articulate 
voice ;  that  he  had  made  a  trial,  and  it  answered  well. 
But  he  could  not  tell  when  he  should  finish  it,  as  he 
had  much  business  of  other  kinds,  and  could  only  give 
his  leisure  hours  to  this.  How  amazing  is  it  that  no 
man  of  fortune  enables  him  to  give  all  his  time  to  the 
work ! 

I  preached  in  the  evening  at  Lisburn.  All  the  time  I 
could  spare  here  was  taken  up  by  poor  patients.  I 
generally  asked,  "  What  remedies  have  you  used  ?  "  and 
was  not  a  little  surprised.  What  has  fashion  to  do  with 
physic  ?  Why  (in  Ireland,  at  least),  almost  as  much  as 
with  head-dress.  Blisters,  for  any  thing  or  nothing, 
were  all  the  fashion  when  I  was  in  Ireland  last.  Now 
the  grand  fashionable  medicine  for  twenty  diseases  (who 
would  imagine  it?)  is  mercury  sublimate!  Why  is  it 
not  an  halter,  or  a  pistol?  They  would  cure  a  little 
more  speedily. 

Tues.  15. — When  I  came  to  Belfast,  1  learned  the 
real  cause  of  the  late  insurrections  in  this  neighbour- 
hood.   Lord  Donegal,  the  proprietor  of  almost  the 


July  1773       A  SPLENDID  SLEEPER  S91 

whole  country,  came  hither  to  give  his  tenants  new 
leases.  But  when  they  came,  they  found  two  merchants 
of  the  town  had  taken  their  farms  over  their  heads ;  so 
that  multitudes  of  them,  with  their  wives  and  children, 
were  turned  out  to  the  wide  world.  It  is  no  wonder 
that,  as  their  lives  were  now  biUor  to  them,  they 
should  fly  out  as  they  did.  It  is  raiher  a  wonder  that 
they  did  not  go  much  farther.  And  if  they  had,  who 
would  have  been  most  in  fault  ?  Those  who  were 
without  home,  without  money,  without  food  for  them- 
selves and  families  ?  or  those  who  drove  them  to  this 
extremity  ? 

The  Eafthquafee  at  Madeley 
Mon.  July  5. — About  eleven  we  crossed  Dublin-bar, 
and  were  at  Hoy-lake  the  next  afternoon.  This  was 
the  first  night  I  ever  lay  awake  in  my  life,  though  I  was 
at  ease  in  body  and  mind.  I  believe  few  can  say  this : 
in  seventy  years  I  never  lost  one  night's  sleep ! 

I  went,  by  moderate  stages,  from  Liverpool  to 
Madeley ;  where  I  arrived  on  Friday,  9.  The  next 
morning  we  went  to  see  the  effects  of  the  late  earthquake  : 
such  it  undoubtedly  was.  On  Monday,  27,  at  four  in 
the  morning,  a  rumbling  noise  was  heard,  accompanied 
with  sudden  gusts  of  wind,  and  wavings  of  the  ground. 
Presently  the  earthquake  followed,  which  only  shook  the 
farmer's  house,  and  removed  it  entire  about  a  yard  ;  hut 
carried  the  barn  about  fifteen  yards,  and  then  swallowed 
it  up  in  a  vast  chasm ;  tore  the  ground  into  numberless 
chasms,  large  and  small ;  in  the  large,  threw  up  mounts, 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high  :  carried  an  hedge,  with  two 
oaks,  above  forty  feet,  and  left  them  in  their  natural  posi- 
tion. It  then  moved  under  the  bed  of  the  river ;  which, 
making  more  resistance,  received  a  ruder  shock,  being 


392  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1773 

shattered  in  pieces,  and  heaved  up  about  thirty  feet  from 
its  foundations.  By  throwing  this,  and  many  oaks,  into 
its  channel,  the  Severn  was  quite  stopped  up,  and  con- 
strained to  flow^  backward,  till,  with  incredible  fury,  it 
wrought  itself  a  new  channel.  Such  a  scene  of  desola- 
tion I  never  saw.  Will  none  tremble  when  God  thus 
terribly  shakes  the  earth  ? 

Mon.  Aug.  16. — In  the  evening  I  preached  at  St. 
Austle;  Tuesday,  17,  in  the  coinage-hall  at  Truro;  at 
six,  in  the  main  street  at  Helstone.  How  changed  is 
this  town,  since  a  Methodist  preacher  could  not  ride 
through  it  without  hazard  of  his  life ! 

A  Man  of  Seventy  Preaches  to  30,000  People 

Sat.  21. — I  preached  in  Illogan  and  at  Redruth; 
Sunday,  22,  in  St.  Agnes  church-town,  at  eight;  about 
one  at  Redruth;  and  at  five,  in  the  amphitheatre  at 
Gwennap.  The  people  both  filled  it,  and  covered  the 
ground  round  about,  to  a  considerable  distance.  So 
that,  supposing  the  space  to  be  fourscore  yards  square, 
and  to  contain  five  persons  in  a  square  yard,  there 
must  be  above  two  and  thirty  thousand  people;  the 
largest  assembly  I  ever  preached  to.  Yet  I  found, 
upon  inquiry,  all  could  hear,  even  to  the  skirts  ot 
the  congregation  !  Perhaps  the  first  time  that  a  man  of 
seventy  had  been-  heard  by  thirty  thousand  persons  at 
once ! 

Mon.  Sept.  13. — My  cold  remaining,  I  was  ill 
able  to  speak.  In  the  evening  I  was  much  worse,  my 
palate  and  throat  being  greatly  inflamed.  However,  I 
preached  as  I  could ;  but  I  could  then  go  no  farther.  I 
could  swallow  neither  liquids  nor  solids,  and  the  wind- 
pipe seemed  nearly  closed.  I  lay  down  at  my  usual 
time,  but  the  defluxion  of  rheum  was  so  uninterrupted. 


Jam.  1774       WESLEY  ELECTRIFIED  SQS 

that  I  slept  not  a  minute  till  near  three  in  the  morning. 
On  the  following  nine  days  I  grew  better. 

Sun.  19. — I  thought  myself  able  to  speak  to  the 
congregation,  which  I  did  for  half  an  hour ;  but  after- 
wards I  found  a  pain  in  my  left  side  and  in  my  shoulder 
by  turns,  exactly  as  I  did  at  Canterbury  twenty  years 
before.  In  the  morning  I  could  scarce  lift  my  hand  to 
my  head;  but,  after  being  electrified,  I  was  much  better; 
so  that  I  preached  with  tolerable  ease  in  the  evening ; 
and  the  next  evening  read  the  letters,  though  my  voice 
was  weak.  From  this  time  I  slowly  recovered  my  voice 
and  my  strength;  and  on  Sunday  preached  without  any 
trouble. 

Mon.  Oct.  4. — I  went,  by  Shepton-mallet,  to  Shaftes- 
bury, and  on  Tuesday  to  Salisbury.  Wednesday,  6. 
Taking  chaise  at  two  in  the  morning,  in  the  evening  I 
came  well  to  London.  The  rest  of  the  week  I  made 
what  inquiry  I  could  into  the  state  of  my  accounts. 
Some  confusion  had  arisen  from  the  sudden  death  of 
my  book-keeper;  but  it  was  less  than  might  have  been 
expected. 

A  Monster  Elm 

Monday,  11,  and  the  following  days,  I  took  a  little 
tour  through  Bedfordshire  and  Northamptonshire.  Be- 
tween Northampton  and  Towcester  we  met  with  a  great 
natural  curiosity,  the  largest  elm  I  ever  saw ;  it  was 
twenty-eight  feet  in  circumference ;  six  feet  more  than 
that  which  was  some  years  ago  in  Magdalen-college  walks 
at  Oxford. 

1774.  Mon.  Jan.  24. — I  was  desired  by  Mrs.  Wright, 
of  New- York,  to  let  her  take  my  effigy  in  wax-work.  She 
has  that  of  Mr.  Whitefield  and  many  others ;  but  none 
of  them,  I  think,  comes  up  to  a  well-drawn  picture. 


S9«  U^SLErS  JOURNAL        Juki  1774 


Fri.  May  20. — I  rode  over  to  Mr.  Fraser's,  at  Monedie, 
whose  mother-in-law  was  to  be  buried  that  day.  O 
what  a  difference  is  there  between  the  English  and  the 
Scotdi  mediod  <rf  burial !  The  English  does  honour  to 
human  nature  ;  and  even  to  the  poor  remains,  that  were 
ODoe  a  tonple  of  the  Holy  Ghost !  But  when  I  see  in 
Scotland  a  coffin  put  into  the  earth,  and  covered  up 
widKMit  a  word  spoken,  it  reminds  me  of  what  was 
spoken  concening  Jehoiakim,  '*  He  shall  be  buried  with 
tiie  burial  <rf  an  ass  1 " 

"Wesley  Arrested  in  Edinburgh 
Wed.  June  i. — I  went  to  Edinburgh,  and  the  next 
day  eiounined  tbe  society  one  by  one.  I  was  agreeaUy 
surprised.  They  have  fairly  profited  since  I  was  here 
l^t.  Sudi  a  number  of  persons  having  sound  Christian 
expaienoe  I  never  fiaund  in  diis  society  before.  I 
preadied  in  the  evenii^  to  a  voy  degant  congregation, 
and  yet  with  great  oilaiganent  of  heart. 

SaL  4. — I  found  mKXMnmon  liberty  at  Edinburgh  in 
app"-\-ing  Erekiel's  vision  of  the  dry  bones.  As  I  was 
walking  home,  two  men  fiollowed  me,  one  of  whom  said, 
«  Sir,  you  are  my  prison^-.  I  have  a  warrant  from  the 
SberifiF  to  carry  you  to  the  Tolbooth."  At  first  I  thought 
he  jested ;  but  finding  the  thing  was  serious,  I  desired 
one  or  two  of  our  friends  to  go  up  with  me.  When  we 
were  safe  lodged  in  a  house  adjoining  to  the  Tolbooth,  I 
desired  the  offioa  to  lei  me  see  his  warrant  I  found 
die  {Hosecutor  was  one  George  Sutherland,  once  a 
member  of  tbe  soci^.  He  had  deposed,  "  That  Hugh 
Sannderson,  one  of  Joiin  Wesley's  preachers,  had 
taken  from  his  wife  one  hundred  pounds  in  mon^,  and 
upwards  of  Airt)'  pounds  in  goods ;  and  had,  besides 
that,  tmified  her  into  madness ;  so  that,  through  the 


]un  17:4.  FRE ACHING  ON  CASTLE  HILL  J95 

W2r.t  of  her  help,  and  the  Loss  of  h-^ir^ess,  he  was 
damaged  fve  h-mdred  pour .15.'' 

Before  die  Sbai^  Archibald  CockbcuL  Eaq^  he  had 
deposed,  "  Thai  the  said  Jc^  Wesiey  and  Hogh  Samider- 
son,  to  evajiie  her  puii>mt,were  preparing  to  fiytbe  cmmLt  j  ; 
and  there:  jre  be  desirad  his  vaiiant  to  seaxch  fix,  sexze, 
and  incarcerate  tbein  in  the  Tcdboodi.t31  tb^^u^  fiad 
securl—  for  liieir  appearance."  To  this  reqaest  the  SienS 
iad  a55enied,  and  grvei  his  warrant  fbc  pocpase. 

Bat  why  does  be  incarcerate  Joim  Wesiey?  Nothing 
is  laid  against  him,  less  or  aor&.  Ho^  Samdeisoa 
preaches  n  ooaDeaaoa  with  Mm.  What  then?  Wis 
not  tiie  Sleds'  sfrangeiy  ofszseen  ? 

:^Ir.  f^nrSPTfatifi  r»iii«KlylrtcigtpH  that  the  oficET  Aould 
cany  t2S  to  the  Tofixxith  widioot  delaj.  J^mever,  he 
waited  till  two  or  dsee  erf"  oar  friends  caraei,  and  gave  a 
bond  for  onr  a^^ieaiaaceon  &e  x^Sh  w&tsnt.  Mr.  S-  c2d 
appear,  the  cause  was  heard,  and  t^it  ::  inec 

Vesle/s  Tzrrihk  Riie 


burgn,  ax  - 


396  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1774 

Smith  and  her  two  Httle  girls,  in  the  chaise  with  me. 
About  two  miles  from  the  town,  just  on  the  brow  of  the 
hill,  on  a  sudden  both  the  horses  set  out,  without  any 
visible  cause,  ajid  flew  down  the  hill,  like  an  arrow  out  of 
a  bow.  In  a  minute  John  fell  off  the  coach-box.  The 
horses  then  went  on  full  speed,  sometimes  to  the  edge 
of  the  ditch  on  the  right,  sometimes  on  the  left.  A 
cart  came  up  against  them  :  they  avoided  it  as  exactly  as 
if  the  man  had  been  on  the  box.  A  narrow  bridge  was  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill.  They  went  directly  over  the  middle 
of  it.  They  ran  up  the  next  hill  with  the  same  speed ; 
many  persons  meeting  us,  but  getting  out  of  the  way. 
Near  the  top  of  the  hill  was  a  gate,  which  led  into  a 
farmer's  yard.  It  stood  open.  They  turned  short,  and 
run  through  it,  without  touching  the  gate  on  one  side, 
or  the  post  on  the  other. 

I  thought,  "  However,  the  gate  which  is  on  the  other 
side  of  the  yard,  and  is  shut,  will  stop  them  "  :  but  they 
rushed  through  it,  as  if  it  had  been  a  cobweb,  and  gal- 
loped on  through  the  corn-field.  The  httle  girls  cried 
out,  "  Grandpapa,  save  us  !  "  I  told  them,  "  Nothing 
will  hurt  you  :  do  not  be  afraid  "  ;  feeling  no  more  fear 
or  care  (blessed  be  God  !)  than  if  I  had  been  sitting  in  my 
study.  The  horses  ran  on,  till  they  came  to  the  edge  of 
a  steep  precipice.  Just  then  Mr.  Smith,  who  could  not 
overtake  us  before,  galloped  in  between.  They  stopped 
in  a  moment.  Had  they  gone  on  ever  so  little,  he  and 
we  must  have  gone  down  together  ! 

I  am  persuaded  both  evil  and  good  angels  had  a  large 
share  in  this  transaction  :  how  large  we  do  not  know 
now  ;  but  we  shall  know  hereafter. 
>y  Tues.  28. — This  being  my  birth-day,  the  first  day  of 
my  seventy-second  year,  I  was  considering.  How  is  this, 
that  I  find  just  the  same  strength  as  I  did  thirty  year? 


July  177+  WESLEY  AT  SEVENTY-ONE  S9l 

ago  ?  That  my  sight  is  considerably  better  now,  and  my 
nerves  firmer,  than  they  were  then  ?  That  I  have  none 
of  the  infirmities  of  old  age,  and  have  lost  several  I  had 
in  my  youth  ?  The  grand  cause  is,  the  good  pleasure  of 
God,  who  doeth  whatsoever  pleaseth  Him.  The  chief 
means  are:  i.  My  constantly  rising  at  four,  for  about 
fifty  years.  2.  My  generally  preaching  at  five  in  the 
morning  ;  one  of  the  most  healthy  exercises  in  the  world. 
3.  My  never  travelling  less,  by  sea  or  land,  than  four 
thousand  five  hundred  miles  in  a  year. 

A  Collier's  Remarkable  Escape 
Sat.  July  30. — I  went  to  Madeley ;  and  in  the  evening 
preached  under  a  sycamore-tree,  in  Madeley-wood,  to  a 
large  congregation,  good  part  of  them  colliers,  who 
drank  in  every  word.  Surely  never  were  places  more 
alike,  than  Madeley-wood,  Gateshead-fell,  and  Kings- 
wood. 

Sun.  31. — The  church  could  not  contain  the  congre- 
gation, either  morning  or  afternoon  ;  but  in  the  evening  I 
preached  to  a  still  larger  congregation  at  Broseley ;  and 
equally  attentive.  I  now  learned  the  particulars  of  a 
remarkable  story,  which  I  had  heard  imperfectly  before : 
— Some  time  since,  one  of  the  colliers  here,  coming 
home  at  night,  dropped  into  a  coal-pit,  twenty-four  yards 
deep.  He  called  aloud  for  help,  but  none  heard  all  that 
night,  and  all  the  following  day.  The  second  night, 
being  weak  and  faint,  he  fell  asleep,  and  dreamed  that 
his  wife,  who  had  been  some  time  dead,  came  to  him, 
and  greatly  comforted  him.  In  the  morning,  a  gentle- 
man going  a  hunting,  an  hare  started  up  just  before  the 
hounds,  ran  straight  to  the  mouth  of  the  pit,  and  was 
gone;  no  man  could  tell  how.  The  hunters  searched 
all  round  the  pit,  till  they  heard  a  voice  from  the  bottom 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Oct.  1774 


They  quickly  procured  proper  help,  and  drew  up  the 
man  unhurt. 

Tues.  Aug.  2. — I  preached  at  ten  in  the  town-hall  at 
Evesham,  and  rode  on  to  Broadmarston. 

Thur.  4. — I  crossed  over  to  Tewkesbury,  and  preached 
at  noon  in  a  meadow  near  the  town,  under  a  tall  oak.  I 
went  thence  to  Cheltenham.  As  it  was  the  high  season 
for  drinking  the  waters,  the  town  was  full  of  gentry  :  so 
I  preached  near  the  market-place  in  the  evening,  to  the 
largest  congregation  that  was  even  seen  there.  Some  of 
the  footmen  at  first  made  a  little  disturbance ;  but  I 
turned  to  them,  and  they  stood  reproved. 

Sat.  6. — I  walked  from  Newport  to  Berkeley-castle. 
It  is  a  beautiful,  though  very  ancient,  building ;  and 
every  part  of  it  kept  in  good  repair,  except  the  lumber- 
room  and  the  chapel ;  the  latter  of  which,  having  been  of 
no  use  for  many  years,  is  now  dirty  enough.  I  particu- 
larly admired  the  fine  situation,  and  the  garden  on  the 
top  of  the  house.  In  one  corner  of  the  castle  is  the 
room  where  poor  Richard  II.  was  murdered.  His 
effigy  is  still  preserved,  said  to  be  taken  before  his  death. 
If  he  was  like  this,  he  had  an  open,  manly  countenance, 
though  with  a  cast  of  melancholy.  In  the  afternoon  we 
went  on  to  Bristol. 

Wesley  at  Corfe  Castle 

Mon.  Oct.  10. — I  preached  at  Salisbury ;  and  on 
Tuesday,  11,  set  out  for  the  Isle  of  Purbeck.  When  we 
came  to  Corfe-castle,  the  evening  being  quite  calm  and 
mild,  I  preached  in  a  meadow  near  the  town,  to  a  deeply 
attentive  congregation,  gathered  from  all  parts  of  the 
island. 

Wed.  1 2  I  preached  to  a  large  congregation  at  five, 

who  seemed  quite  athirst  for  instruction.  Afterwards 


Oct.  1774  A  REMARKABLE  METHODIST  S99 

we  took  a  walk  over  the  remains  of  the  castle,  so  bravely 
defended  in  the  last  century,  against  all  the  power  of  the 
Parliament  forces,  by  the  widow  of  the  Lord  Chief  Justice 
Banks.  It  is  one  of  the  noblest  ruins  I  ever  saw :  the 
walls  are  of  an  immense  thickness,  defying  even  the 
assaults  of  time,  and  were  formerly  surrounded  by  a  deep 
ditch.  The  house,  which  stands  in  the  middle,  on  the 
very  top  of  the  rock,  has  been  a  magnificent  structure. 
Some  time  since  the  proprietor  fitted  up  some  rooms  on 
the  south-west  side  of  this,  and  laid  out  a  little  garden, 
commanding  a  large  prospect,  pleasant  beyond  de- 
scription. For  a  while  he  was  greatly  delighted  with  it : 
but  the  eye  was  not  satisfied  with  seeing.  It  grew 
familiar  ;  it  pleased  no  more ;  and  is  now  run  all  to  ruin. 
No  wonder  :  what  can  delight  always,  but  the  knowledge 
and  love  of  God  ? 

A  Methodist  Isaac  Newton 

Monday,  31,  and  the  following  days,  I  visited  the 
societies  near  London.  Friday,  November  4.  In  the 
afternoon  John  Downes  (who  had  preached  with  us 
many  years)  was  saying,  "  I  feel  such  a  love  to  the 
people  at  West-street,  that  I  could  be  content  to  die 
with  them.  I  do  not  find  myself  very  well ;  but  I  must 
be  with  them  this  evening."  He  went  thither,  and  began 
preaching,  on,  "  Come  unto  me,  ye  ihat  are  weary  and 
heavy-laden."  After  speaking  ten  or  twelve  minutes,  he 
sunk  down  and  spake  no  more,  till  his  spirit  returned 
to  God. 

I  suppose  he  was  by  nature  full  as  great  a  genius  as  Sir 
Isaac  Newton.  I  will  mention  but  two  or  three  instances 
of  it : — When  he  was  at  school,  learning  Algebra,  he  came 
one  day  to  his  master,  and  said,  "  Sir,  I  can  prove  this 
proposition  a  better  way  than  it  is  proved  in  the  book." 


400 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Nov.  1774 


His  master  thought  it  could  not  be;  but  upon  trial, 
acknowledged  it  to  be  so.  Some  time  after,  his  father 
sent  him  to  Newcastle  with  a  clock,  which  was  to  be 
mended.  He' observed  the  clockmaker's  tools,  and  the 
manner  how  he  took  it  in  pieces,  and  put  it  together 
again  ;  and  when  he  came  home,  first  made  himself 
tools,  and  then  made  a  clock,  which  went  as  true  as  any 
in  the  town.  I  suppose  such  strength  of  genius  as  this 
has  scarce  been  known  in  Europe  before. 

Another  proof  of  it  was  this  : — -Thirty  years  ago,  while 
I  was  shaving,  he  was  whittling  the  top  of  a  stick :  I 
asked,  "  What  are  you  doing  ?  "  He  answered,  "  I  am 
taking  your  face,  which  I  intend  to  engrave  on  a  copper- 
plate." Accordingly,  without  any  instruction,  he  first 
made  himself  tools,  and  then  engraved  the  plate.  The 
second  picture  which  he  engraved,  was  that  which  was 
prefixed  to  the  "  Notes  upon  the  New  Testament." 
Such  another  instance,  I  suppose,  not  all  England,  or 
perhaps  Europe,  can  produce. 

For  several  months  past,  he  had  far  deeper  com- 
munion with  God,  than  ever  he  had  had  in  his  life ;  and 
for  some  days  he  had  been  frequently  saying,  "  I  am  so 
happy,  that  I  scarce  know  how  to  live.  I  enjoy  such 
fellowship  with  God,  as  I  thought  could  not  be  had  on 
this  side  heaven."  And  having  now  finished  his  course 
of  fifty-two  years,  after  a  long  conflict  with  pain,  sickness, 
and  poverty,  he  gloriously  rested  from  his  labours,  and 
entered  into  the  joy  of  his  Lord. 

Sun.  13. — After  a  day  of  much  labour,  at  my  usual 
time  (half-hour  past  nine),  I  lay  down  to  rest.  I  told 
my  servants,  "  I  must  rise  at  three,  the  Norwich  coach 
setting  out  at  four."  Hearing  one  of  them  knock,  though 
sooner  than  I  expected,  I  rose  and  dressed  myself;  but 
afterwards,  looking  at  my  watch,  I  found  it  was  bat 


Nov.  1774  A  BIG  FIRE  401 

half-hour  past  ten.  While  I  was  considering  what  to  do,  I 
heard  a  confused  sound  of  many  voices  below :  and 
looking  out  at  the  window  towards  the  yard,  I  saw  it 
was  as  light  as  day.  Meantime,  many  large  flakes  of 
fire  were  continually  flying  about  the  house;  all  the 
upper  part  of  which  was  built  of  wood,  which  was  near 
as  dry  as  tinder.  A  large  deal-yard,  at  a  very  small 
distance  from  us,  was  all  in  a  light  fire ;  from  which  the 
north-west  wind  drove  the  flames  directly  upon  the 
Foundery ;  and  there  was  no  possibility  of  help,  for  no 
water  could  be  found.  Perceiving  I  could  be  of  no  use, 
I  took  my  Diary  and  my  papers,  and  retired  to  a  friend's 
house.  I  had  no  fear ;  committing  the  matter  into 
God's  hands,  and  knowing  He  would  do  whatever  was 
best.  Immediately  the  wind  turned  about  from  north- 
west to  south-east ;  and  our  pump  supplied  the  engines 
with  abundance  of  water ;  so  that  in  a  little  more  than 
two  hours,  all  the  danger  was  over. 

"Wesley  in  the  Fens 

Tues.  22. — I  took  a  solemn  and  affectionate  leave  of 
the  society  at  Norwich.  About  twelve  we  took  coach. 
About  eight,  Wednesday,  23,  Mr.  Dancer  met  me  with  a 
chaise,  and  carried  me  to  Ely.  O  what  want  of  common 
sense !  Water  covered  the  high-road  for  a  mile  and  a 
half.  I  asked,  "  How  must  foot-people  come  to  the 
town  ?  "    "  Why,  they  must  wade  through  !  " 

About  two  I  preached  in  a  house  well  filled  with 
plain,  loving  people.  I  then  took  a  walk  to  the  cathedral, 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  I  have  seen.  The  western 
tower  is  exceeding  grand ;  and  the  nave  of  an  amazing 
height.  Hence  we  went  through  a  fruitful  and  pleasant 
country,  though  surrounded  with  fens,  to  Sutton.  Here 
many  people  had  lately  been  stirred  up :  they  had  prepared 

2  c 


Mi  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Feb.  177; 

a  large  barn.  At  six  o'clock  it  was  well  filled;  and  it 
seemed  as  if  God  sent  a  message  to  every  soul. 

Fri.  25. — I  set  out  between  eight  and  nine  in  a  one- 
horse  chaise,  thh  wind  being  high  and  cold  enough. 
Much  snow  lay  on  the  ground,  and  much  fell  as  we 
crept  along  over  the  fen-banks. 

Honest  Mr.  Tubbs  would  needs  walk  and  lead  the 
horse  through  water  and  mud  up  to  his  mid-leg, 
smiling  and  saying,  "  We  fen-men  do  not  mind  a  little 
dirt."  When  we  had  gone  about  four  miles,  the  road 
would  not  admit  of  a  chaise.  So  I  borrowed  a  horse, 
and  rode  forward  ;  but  not  far,  for  all  the  grounds  were 
under  water.  Here  therefore  I  procured  a  boat,  full 
twice  as  large  as  a  kneading-trough.  I  was  at  one  end, 
and  a  boy  at  the  other,  who  paddled  me  safe  to  Erith. 

There  Miss  L  waited  for  me  with  another  chaise, 

which  brought  me  to  It.  Ives. 

No  Methodist,  I  was  told,  had  preached  in  this  town : 
so  I  thought  it  high  time  to  begin ;  and  about  one  I 
preached  to  a  very  well-dressed,  and  yet  well-behaved 
congregation.  Thence  my  new  friend  (how  long  will  she 
be  such?)  carried  me  to  Godmanchester,  near  Hunt- 
ingdon. A  large  barn  was  ready,  in  which  Mr.  Berridge 
and  Mr.  Venn  used  to  preach.  And  though  the  weather 
was  still  severe,  it  was  well  filled  with  deeply  attentive 
people. 

Sat.  26. — I  set  out  early,  and  in  the  evening  reached 
London. 

1775.  Wed.  Feb.  22. — I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
Mr.  Gordon's  curious  garden  at  Mile-end,  the  like  of 
which  I  suppose  is  hardly  to  be  found  in  England,  if  in 
Europe.  One  thing  in  particular  I  learned  here,  the  real 
nature  of  the  tea-tree.  I  was  informed,  i.  That  the 
green  and  the  bohea  are  of  quite  different  species.  2, 


Nov.  1775    WESLEY  AND  THE  TEA-TREE  40,-] 

That  the  bohea  is  much  tenderer  than  the  green.  3. 
That  the  green  is  an  evergreen ;  and  bears,  not  only  in 
the  open  air,  but  in  the  frost,  perfectly  well.  4.  That 
the  herb  of  Paraguay  likewise  bears  the  frost,  and  is  a 
species  of  tea.  5.  And  I  observed  that  they  are  all 
species  of  bay  or  laurel.  The  leaf  of  green  tea  is  both 
of  the  colour,  shape,  and  size  of  a  bay  leaf :  that  of 
bohea  is  smaller,  softer,  and  of  a  darker  colour.  So  is 
the  herb  of  Paraguay ;  which  is  of  a  dirty  green,  and  no 
larger  than  our  common  red  sage. 

Wesley's  Coach  Upset 

Sun.  Aug.  6. — At  one  I  proclaimed  the  glorious 
Gospel  to  the  usual  congregation  at  Birstal,  and  in  the 
evening  at  Leeds.  Then,  judging  it  needful  to  pay  a 
short  visit  to  our  brethren  at  London,  I  took  the  stage- 
coach, with  five  of  my  friends,  about  eight  o'clock. 
Before  nine,  a  gentleman  in  a  single-horse  chaise  struck 
his  wheel  against  one  of  ours.  Instantly  the  weight  of 
tlie  men  at  top  overset  the  coach ;  otherwise,  ten  times 
the  shock  would  not  have  moved  it;  but  neither  the 
coachman,  nor  the  men  at  top,  nor  any  within,  were 
hurt  at  all.  On  Tuesday,  in  the  afternoon,  we  were  met 
at  Hatfield  by  many  of  our  friends,  who  conducted  us 
safe  to  London. 

Monday,  October  30,  and  the  following  days,  I  visited 
the  little  societies  in  the  neighbourhood  of  London. 

Saturday,  November  11.  I  made  some  additions  to  the 
"  Calm  Address  to  our  American  Colonies."  Need  any 
one  ask  from  what  motive  this  was  wrote?  Let  him 
look  round  :  England  is  in  a  flame !  a  flame  of  malice 
and  rage  against  the  King,  and  almost  all  that  are  in 
authority  under  him.  I  labour  to  put  out  this  flame 
Ought  not  every  true  patriot  to  do  the  same  ? 


404 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Nov.  177; 


hireling  writers  on  either  side  judge  of  me  by  themselves, 
that  I  cannot  help. 

Sun.  12. — I  was  desired  to  preach,  in  Bethnal-green 
church,  a  charity  sermon  for  the  widows  and  orphans  of 
the  soldiers  that  were  killed  in  America.  Knowing  how 
many  would  seek  occasion  of  offence,  I  wrote  down  my 
sermon.  I  dined  with  Sir  John  Hawkins  and  three  other 
gentlemen  that  are  in  commission  for  the  peace ;  and 
was  agreeably  surprised  at  a  very  serious  conversation, 
kept  up  during  the  whole  time  I  stayed. 

Wesley  and  the  American  "War 
Mon.  27. — I  set  out  for  Norwich.    That  evening  I 
preached  at  Colchester;  Tuesday, at  Norwich;  Wednesday, 
at  Yarmouth. 

About  this  time  I  published  the  following  letter  in 
Lloyd's  "  Evening  Post  :  " — 

"  Sir, — I  have  been  seriously  asked,  '  From  what 
motive  did  you  publish  your  Calm  Address  to  the  American 
Colonies  ? ' 

"  I  seriously  answer.  Not  to  get  money.  Had  that 
been  my  motive,  I  should  have  swelled  it  into  a  shilling 
pamphlet,  and  have  entered  it  at  Stationers'  Hall. 

"  Not  to  get  preferment  for  myself,  or  my  brother's 
children.  I  am  a  little  too  old  to  gape  after  it  for 
myself:  and  if  my  brother  or  I  sought  it  for  them,  we 
have  only  to  show  them  to  the  world. 

"  Not  to  please  any  man  living,  high  or  low,  I  know 
mankind  too  well.  I  know  they  that  love  you  for 
political  service,  love  you  less  than  their  dinner;  and 
they  that  hate  you,  hate  you  worse  than  the  devil. 

"  Least  of  all  did  I  write  with  a  view  to  inflame  any  : 
just  the  contrary.  I  contributed  my  mite  toward  putting 
out  the  flame  which  rages  all  over  the  land.    This  I  have 


Nov.  1775   ^VESLEY  DEFENDS  THE  KING  405 


more  opportunity  of  obser\-ing  than  any  other  man  in 
England.  I  see  with  pain  to  what  an  height  this  already 
rises,  in  every  part  of  the  nation.  And  I  see  many 
pouring  oil  into  the  flame,  by  crying  out, '  How  unjustly, 
how  cruelly,  the  King  is  using  the  poor  Americans  ;  who 
are  only  contending  for  their  hberty,  and  for  their  legal 
privileges  1  ' 

"  Now  there  is  no  possible  way  to  put  out  this  flame, 
or  hinder  its  rising  higher  and  higher,  but  to  show  that 
the  Americans  are  not  used  either  cruelly  or  unjustly; 
that  they  are  not  injured  at  all,  seeing  they  are  not 
contending  for  liberty  (this  they  had,  even  in  its  full 
extent,  both  civil  and  reli^nous) ;  neither  for  any  legal 
privileges ;  for  they  enjoy  all  that  their  charters  grant. 
But  what  they  contend  for  is,  the  illegal  privilege  of 
being  exempt  from  parliamentary  taxation.  A  privilege 
this,  which  no  charter  ever  gave  to  any  American  colony 
yet ;  which  no  charter  can  give,  unless  it  be  confirmed 
both  by  King,  Lords,  and  Commons ;  which,  in  fact, 
our  colonies  never  had ;  which  they  never  claimed  till 
the  present  reign  :  and  probably  they  would  not  have 
claimed  it  now,  had  they  not  been  incited  thereto  by 
letters  from  England.  One  of  these  was  read,  according 
to  the  desire  of  the  writer,  not  only  at  the  continental 
Congress,  but  likewise  in  many  congregations  throughout 
the  Combined  Provinces.  It  advised  them  to  seize  upon 
all  the  King's  officers ;  and  exhorted  them,  '  Stand 
valiantly,  only  for  six  months,  and  in  that  time  there 
will  be  such  commotions  in  England  that  you  may  have 
your  own  terms.' 

"  This  being  the  real  state  of  the  question,  without 
any  colouring  or  aggravation,  what  impartial  man  can 
either  blame  the  King,  or  commend  the  Americans  ? 

"With  this  view,  to  quench  the  fire,  by  laying  the 


406  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1776 

blame  where  it  was  due,  the  '  Calm  Address '  was 
written. 

"  Sir,  I  am, 

,  "  Your  humble  servant, 

"John  Wesley." 

Pfeaching  from  the  Stocks 
1776.    January  i. — About  eighteen  hundred  of  us 
met  together  in  London,  in  order  to  renew  our  covenant 
with  God ;  and  it  was,  as  usual,  a  very  solemn  oppor- 
tunity. 

Sun.  14.  As  I  was  going  to  West-street  chapel,  one 
of  the  chaise-springs  suddenly  snapped  asunder;  but 
the  horses  instantly  stopping,  I  stepped  out  without  the 
least  inconvenience. 

At  all  my  vacant  hours  in  this  and  the  following 
week,  I  endeavoured  to  finish  the  "  Concise  History  of 
England."  I  am  sensible  it  must  give  offence,  as  in  many 
parts  I  am  quite  singular ;  particularly  with  regard  to 
those  injured  characters,  Richard  IIL  and  Mary  Queen 
of  Scots.  But  I  must  speak  as  I  think;  although  still 
waiting  for,  and  willing  to  receive,  better  information. 

Tues.  April  30. — In  the  evening  I  preached  in  a  kind 
of  square,  at  Colne,  to  a  multitude  of  people,  all  drink- 
ing in  the  word.  I  scarce  ever  saw  a  congregation 
wherein  men,  women,  and  children  stood  in  such  a 
posture :  and  this  in  the  town  wherein,  thirty  years  ago, 
no  Methodist  could  show  his  head !  The  first  that 
preached  here  was  John  Jane,  who  was  innocently  riding 
through  the  town,  when  the  zealous  mob  pulled  him  off 
his  horse,  and  put  him  in  the  stocks.  He  seized  the 
opportunity  and  vehemently  exhorted  them  "  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come." 

Wed.  May  i. — I  set  out  early,  and  the  next  afternoon 


May  1776     WESLEY'S  TWO  INQUIRIES  407 


reached  Whitehaven;  and  my  chaise-horses  were  no 
worse  for  travelling  near  a  hundred  and  ten  miles  in  two 
days. 

In  travelling  through  Berkshire,  Oxfordshire,  Bristol, 
Gloucestershire,  Worcestershire,  Warwickshire,  Stafford- 
shire, Cheshire,  Lancashire,  Yorkshire.Westmoreland,  and 
Cumberland,  I  diligently  made  two  inquiries:  the  first  was, 
concerning  the  increase  or  decrease  of  the  people ;  the 
second,  concerning  the  increase  or  decrease  of  trade. 
As  to  the  latter,  it  is,  within  these  two  last  years,  amaz- 
ingly increased ;  in  several  branches  in  such  a  manner 
as  has  not  been  known  in  the  memory  of  man  :  such  is 
the  fruit  of  the  entire  civil  and  religious  liberty  which 
all  England  now  enjoys  !  And  as  to  the  former,  not 
only  in  every  city  and  large  town,  but  in  every  village 
and  hamlet,  there  is  no  decrease,  but  a  very  large  and 
swift  increase.  One  sign  of  this  is  the  swarms  of  little 
children  which  we  see  in  every  place.  Which,  then,  shall 
we  most  admire,  the  ignorance  or  confidence  of  those 
that  affirm  population  decreases  in  England  ?  I  doubt 
not  but  it  increases  full  as  fast  here  as  in  any  province 
of  North-America. 

**A  Very  Extraordinary  Genius** 
Mon.  6. — After  preaching  at  Cockermouth  and  Wig- 
ton,  I  went  on  to  Carlisle,  and  preached  to  a  very  serious 
congregation.  Here  I  saw  a  very  extraordinary  genius, 
a  man  blind  from  four  years  of  age,  who  could  wind 
worsted,  weave  flowered  plush  on  an  engine  and  loom  of 
his  own  making ;  who  wove  his  own  name  in  plush,  and 
made  his  own  clothes,  and  his  own  tools  of  every  sort. 
Some  years  ago,  being  shut  up  in  the  organ-loft  at  church, 
he  felt  every  part  of  it,  and  afterwards  made  an  organ 
for  himself,  which,  judges  say,  is  an  exceeding  good  one. 


408  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1776 

He  then  taught  himself  to  play  upon  it  psalm-tunes, 
anthems,  voluntaries,  or  anything  which  he  heard.  I 
heard  him  play  several  tunes  with  great  accuracy,  and  a 
complex  voluntary  :  I  suppose  all  Europe  can  hardly 
produce  such  another  instance.  His  name  is  Joseph 
Strong.  But  what  is  he  the  better  for  all  this,  if  he  is 
still  "  without  God  in  the  world  ?  " 

Fri.  17. — I  reached  Aberdeen  in  good  time.  Saturday, 
18.  I  read  over  Dr.  Johnson's  "Tour  to  the  Western 
Isles."  It  is  a  very  curious  book,  wrote  with  admirable 
sense,  and,  I  think,  great  fidelity  ;  although,  in  some 
respects,  he  is  thought  to  bear  hard  on  the  nation,  which 
I  am  satisfied  he  never  intended. 

Mon.  20. — I  preached  about  eleven  at  Old-Meldrum, 
but  could  not  reach  Banff  till  near  seven  in  the  even- 
ing. I  went  directly  to  the  Parade,  and  proclaimed  to  a 
listening  multitude  "  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
All  behaved  well  but  a  few  gentry,  whom  I  rebuked 
openly,  and  they  stood  corrected. 

Neat  and  Elegant  Banff 

Banff  is  one  of  the  neatest  and  most  elegant  towns 
that  I  have  seen  in  Scotland.  It  is  pleasantly  situated 
on  the  side  of  a  hill,  sloping  from  the  sea,  though  close 
to  it ;  so  that  it  is  sufficiently  sheltered  from  the  sharpest 
winds.  The  streets  are  straight  and  broad.  I  believe  it 
may  be  esteemed  the  fifth,  if  not  the  fourth,  town  in  the 
kingdom.  The  county,  quite  from  Banff  to  Keith,  is  the 
best  peopled  of  any  I  have  seen  in  Scotland.  This  is 
chiefly,  if  not  entirely,  owing  to  the  late  Earl  of  Find- 
later.  He  was  indefatigable  in  doing  good,  took  pains 
to  procure  industrious  men  from  all  parts,  and  to  provide 
such  little  settlements  for  them  as  enabled  them  to  live 
with  comfort. 


May  1776    WESLEY  BUYS  AN  ESTATE  409 

About  noon  I  preached  at  the  New-mills,  nine  miles 
from  Banff,  to  a  large  congregation  of  plain,  simple 
people.  As  we  rode  in  the  afternoon  the  heat  overcame 
me,  so  that  I  was  weary  and  faint  before  we  came  to 
Keith;  but  I  no  sooner  stood  up  in  the  market-place 
than  I  forgot  my  weariness ;  such  were  the  seriousness 
and  attention  of  the  whole  congregation,  though  as 
numerous  as  that  at  Banff.  Mr.  Gordon,  the  Minister  of 
the  parish,  invited  me  to  supper,  and  told  me  his  kirk 
was  at  my  service.  A  little  society  is  formed  here  already ; 
and  is  in  a  fair  way  of  increasing.  But  they  were  just 
now  in  danger  of  losing  their  preaching-house,  the  owner 
being  determined  to  sell  it,  I  saw  but  one  way  to  secure 
it  for  them,  which  was  to  buy  it  myself.  So  (^  .vho  would 
have  thought  it  ?)  I  bought  an  estate,  consisting  of  two 
houses,  a  yard,  a  garden,  with  three  acres  of  good  land. 
But  he  told  me  flat,  "  Sir,  I  will  take  no  less  for  it  than 
sixteen  pounds  ten  shillings,  to  be  paid,  part  now,  part 
at  Michaelmas,  and  the  residue  next  May." 

A  Town  of  Beggars 

Here  Mr.  Gordon  showed  me  a  great  curiosity.  Near 
the  top  of  the  opposite  hill  a  new  town  is  built,  contain- 
ing, I  suppose,  a  hundred  houses,  which  is  a  town  of 
beggars.  This,  he  informed  me,  was  the  professed, 
regular  occupation  of  all  the  inhabitants.  Early  in  spring 
they  all  go  out,  and  spread  themselves  over  the  king- 
dom; and  in  autumn  they  return,  and  do  what  is 
requisite  for  their  wives  and  children. 

Mon.  27. — I  paid  a  visit  to  St.  Andrews,  once  the 
largest  city  in  the  kingdom.  It  was  eight  times  as  large 
as  it  is  now,  and  a  place  of  very  great  trade  :  but  the  sea 
rushing  from  the  north-east,  gradually  destroyed  the 
harbour  and  trade  together :  in  consequence  of  which 


410  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1776 

whole  streets  (that  were)  are  now  meadows  and  gardens. 
Three  broad,  straight,  handsome  streets  remain,  all  point- 
ing at  the  old  cathedral ;  which,  by  the  ruins,  appears  to 
have  been  above  three  hundred  feet  long,  and  propor- 
tionately broad  and  high  :  so  that  it  seems  to  have  ex- 
ceeded York  Minster,  and  to  have  at  least  equalled  any 
cathedral  in  England.  Another  church,  afterwards  used 
in  its  stead,  bears  date  11 24.  A  steeple,  standing  near 
the  cathedral,  is  thought  to  have  stood  thirteen  hundred 
years. 

"Wesley  Criticises  the  ScotcH  Universities 

What  is  left  of  St.  Leonard's  college  is  only  a  heap  of 
ruins.  Two  colleges  remain.  One  of  them  has  a  toler- 
able square  ;  but  all  the  windows  are  broke,  like  those  of 
a  brothel.  We  were  informed,  the  students  do  this  before 
they  leave  the  college.  Where  are  their  blessed  Governors 
in  the  mean  time?  Are  they  all  fast  asleep?  The  other 
college  is  a  mean  building,  but  has  a  handsome  Hbrary 
newly  erected.  In  the  two  colleges,  we  learned,  were 
about  seventy  students ;  near  the  same  number  as  at 
Old-Aberdeen.  Those  at  New-Aberdeen  are  not  more 
numerous :  neither  those  at  Glasgow.  In  Edinburgh, 
I  suppose,  there  are  a  hundred.  So  four  Universities 
contain  three  hundred  and  ten  students !  These  all 
come  to  their  several  colleges  in  November,  and  re- 
turn home  in  May!  So  they  may  study  five  months 
in  the  year,  and  lounge  all  the  rest !  O  where  was  the 
common  sense  of  those  who  instituted  such  colleges? 
In  the  English  colleges,  every  one  may  reside  all  the 
year,  as  all  my  pupils  did ;  and  I  should  have  thought 
myself  litde  better  than  a  highwayman,  if  I  had  not 
lectured  them  every  day  in  the  year  but  Sundays. 
/   Fri.  June  28. — I  am  seventy-three  years  old,  and  far 


Aug.  1776  WESLEY  AT  SEVENTY-THREE  411 


abler  to  preach  than  I  was  at  three-and-twenty.  ^^'hat 
natural  means  has  God  used  to  produce  so  wonderful  an 
effect?  I.  Continual  exercise  and  change  of  air,  by 
travelling  above  four  thousand  miles  in  a  year:  2.  Con- 
stant rising  at  four :  3.  The  ability,  if  ever  I  want,  to 
sleep  immediately :  4.  The  never  losing  a  night's  sleep 
in  my  life  :  5.  Two  violent  fevers  and  two  deep  con- 
sumptions. These,  it  is  true,  were  rough  medicines : 
but  they  were  of  admirable  service ;  causing  my  flesh  to 
come  again  as  the  flesh  of  a  little  child.  May  T  add, 
lastly,  evenness  of  temper  ?  I  feel  and  grieve ;  but,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  I  fret  at  nothing.  But  still  "  the  help  that 
is  done  upon  earth.  He  doeth  it  himself."  And  this  He 
doeth  in  answer  to  many  prayers. 

Smuggling  in  Cornwall 
Sat.  Aug.  17. — We  found  Mr.  Hoskins,  at  Cubert 
(Cornwall),  alive ;  but  just  tottering  over  the  grave.  I 
preached  in  the  evening,  on  2  Cor.  v.  1-4 ;  probably 
the  last  sermon  he  will  hear  from  me.  I  was  after- 
wards inquiring,  if  that  scandal  of  Cornwall,  the 
plundering  of  wrecked  vessels,  still  subsisted.  He  said, 
"  As  much  as  ever ;  only  the  Methodists  will  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  But  three  months  since  a  vessel 
was  wrecked  on  the  south  coast,  and  the  tinners  presently 
seized  on  all  the  goods ;  and  even  broke  in  pieces  a  new 
coach  which  was  on  board,  and  carried  every  scrap  of  it 
away."  But  is  there  no  way  to  prevent  this  shameful 
breach  of  all  the  laws  both  of  religion  and  humanity : 
Indeed  there  is.  The  gentry  of  Cornwall  may  totally 
prevent  it  whenever  they  please.  Let  them  only  see 
that  the  laws  be  strictly  executed  upon  the  next  plun- 
derers ;  and  after  an  example  is  made  of  ten  of  these, 
the  next  wreck  will  be  uaafiolested.    Nay,  there  is  a 


412  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  Jan.  1777 

milder  way.  Let  them  only  agree  together  to  discharge 
any  tinner  or  labourer  that  is  concerned  in  the 
plundering  of  a  wreck,  and  advertise  his  name,  that  no 
Cornish  gcntleinan  may  employ  him  any  more ;  and 
neither  tinner  nor  labourer  will  any  more  be  concerned 
in  that  bad  work. 

Sun.  18. — The  passage  through  the  sands  being  bad 
for  a  chaise,  I  rode  on  horseback  to  St.  Agnes,  where 
the  rain  constrained  me  to  preach  in  the  house.  As  we 
rode  back  to  Redruth,  it  poured  down  amain,  and  found 
its  way  through  all  our  clothes.  I  was  tired  when  I 
came  in  ;  but  after  sleeping  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  all  my 
weariness  was  gone. 

In  Bethnal  Green  Hamlet 

1777.  Wed.  Jan.  i. — We  met,  as  usual,  to  renew 
our  covenant  with  God.  It  was  a  solemn  season,  wherein 
many  found  His  power  present  to  heal,  and  were 
enabled  to  urge  their  way  with  strength  renewed. 

Thur.  2. — I  began  expounding,  in  order,  the  book  of 
Ecclesiastes.  I  never  before  had  so  clear  a  sight  either 
of  the  meaning  or  the  beauties  of  it.  Neither  did  I 
imagine  that  the  several  parts  of  it  were  in  so  exquisite  a 
manner  connected  together;  all  tending  to  prove  that 
grand  truth — that  there  is  no  happiness  out  of  God. 

Wed.  15. — I  began  visiting  those  of  our  society  who 
lived  in  Bethnal-green  hamlet.  Many  of  them  I  found 
in  such  poverty  as  few  can  conceive  without  seeing  it. 
O  why  do  not  all  the  rich  that  fear  God  constantly  visit 
the  poor !  Can  they  spend  part  of  their  spare-time 
better?  Certainly  not.  So  they  will  find  in  that  day 
when  "  every  man  shall  receive  his  own  reward  according 
to  his  own  labour." 

Such  another  scene  I  saw  the  next  day,  in  visiting 


May  1777  STONE-LAYIXG  AT  CITY  ROAD  413 


another  part  of  the  society.  I  have  not  found  any  such 
distress,  no,  not  in  the  prison  of  Newgate.  One  poor 
man  was  just  creeping  out  of  his  sick-bed,  to  his  ragged 
wife  and  three  little  children ;  who  were  more  than  half 
naked,  and  the  very  picture  of  famine;  when  one 
bringing  in  a  loaf  of  bread,  they  all  ran,  seized  upon  it, 
and  tore  it  in  pieces  in  an  instant.  Who  would  not 
rejoice  that  there  is  another  world  ? 

City  Road  Chapel  Begun 

Monday,  April  21,  was  the  day  appointed  for  laying 
the  foundation  of  the  new  chapel.  The  rain  befriended 
us  much,  by  keeping  away  thousands  who  purposed  to 
be  there.  But  there  were  still  such  multitudes,  that  it 
was  with  great  difficulty  I  got  through  them,  to  lay  the 
first  stone.  Upon  this  was  a  plate  of  brass  (covered 
with  another  stone),  on  which  was  engraved,  "  This  was 
laid  by  Mr.  John  Wesley,  on  April  i,  1777."  Probably 
this  will  be  seen  no  more,  by  any  human  eye ;  but  will 
remain  there,  till  the  earth  and  the  works  thereof  are 
burned  up. 

Sun.  27. — The  sun  breaking  out,  I  snatched  the 
opportunity  of  preaching  to  many  thousands  in  Moor- 
fields.  All  were  still  as  night,  while  I  showed  how  "  the 
Son  of  God  was  manifested  to  destroy  the  works  of 
the  devil." 

Wed.  May  14. — At  eleven  I  preached  at  Pocklington, 
with  an  eye  to  the  death  of  that  lovely  woman,  Mrs. 
Cross.  A  gay  young  gentleman,  with  a  young  lady, 
stepped  in,  stayed  five  minutes,  and  went  out  again,  with 
as  easy  an  unconcern  as  if  they  had  been  listening  to  a 
ballad-singer.  I  mentioned  to  the  congregation  the 
deep  folly  and  ignorance  implied  in  such  behaviour. 
These  pretty  fools  never  thought  that  for  this  very 


414  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  May  1777 

opportunity  they  are  to  give  an  account  before  men 
and  angels ! 

In  the  evening  I  preached  at  York.  I  would  gladly 
have  rested  the*  next  day,  feeling  my  breast  much  out  of 
order.  But  notice  having  been  given  of  my  preaching 
at  Tadcaster,  I  set  out  at  nine  in  the  morning.  About 
ten  the  chaise  broke  down.  I  borrowed  a  horse ;  but 
as  he  was  none  of  the  easiest,  in  riding  three  miles  I 
was  so  thoroughly  electrified,  that  the  pain  in  my  breast 
was  quite  cured.  I  preached  in  the  evening  at  York ; 
on  Friday  took  the  diligence  ;  and  on  Saturday  afternoon 
came  to  London. 

Wesley  in  the  Isle  of  Man 
Fri.  30.— I  went  on  to  Whitehaven,  where  I  found  a 
little  vessel  waiting  for  me.  After  preaching  in  the 
evening,  I  went  on  board  about  eight  o'clock,  and  before 
eight  in  the  morning  landed  at  Douglas, in  the  Isle  of  Man 
Douglas  exceedingly  resembles  Newlyn  in  Cornwall; 
both  in  its  situation,  form,  and  buildings ;  only  it  is 
much  larger,  and  has  a  few  houses  equal  to  most  in 
Penzance.  As  soon  as  we  landed,  I  was  challenged  by 
Mr.  Booth,  who  had  seen  me  in  Ireland,  and  whose 
brother  has  been  for  many  years  a  member  of  the 
society  in  Coolylough.  A  chaise  was  provided  to  carry 
me  to  Castletown.  I  was  greatly  surprised  at  the 
country.  All  the  way  from  Douglas  to  Castletown  it  is 
as  pleasant  and  as  well  cultivated  as  most  parts  of 
England,  with  many  gentlemen's  seats.  Castletown  a 
good  deal  resembles  Galway;  only  it  is  not  so  large. 
At  six  I  preached  near  the  castle,  I  believe,  to  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town.  Two  or  three  gay  young 
women  showed  they  knew  nothing  about  religion ;  all 
the  rest  were  deeply  serious. 


June  1777  PREACHING  IN  A  MALT-HOUSE  415 

Sun.  June  i  At  six  I  preached  in  our  own  room; 

and,  to  my  surprise,  saw  all  the  gentlewomen  there. 
Young  as  well  as  old  were  now  deeply  affected,  and 
would  fain  have  had  me  stayed,  were  it  but  an  hour  or 
two ;  but  I  was  forced  to  hasten  away,  in  order  to  be  at 
Peeltown  before  the  service  began. 

Mr.  Corbett  said,  he  would  gladly  have  asked  me  to 
preach,  but  that  the  Bishop  had  forbidden  him ;  who 
had  also  forbidden  all  his  Clergy  to  admit  any  Methodist 
Preacher  to  the  Lord's  supper.  But  is  any  Clergyman 
obliged,  either  in  law  or  conscience,  to  obey  such  a 
prohibition  ?  By  no  means.  The  will  even  of  the 
King  does  not  bind  any  English  subject,  unless  it  be 
seconded  by  an  express  law.  How  much  less  the  will 
of  a  Bishop  ?  "  But  did  not  you  take  an  oath  to  obey 
him  ?  "  No,  nor  any  Clergyman  in  the  three  kingdoms. 
This  is  a  mere  vulgar  error.  Shame  that  it  should 
prevail  almost  universally. 

As  it  rained,  I  retired  after  service  into  a  large  malt- 
house.  Most  of  the  congregation  followed,  and  devoured 
the  word.  It  being  fair  in  the  afternoon,  the  whole 
congregation  stopped  in  the  church-yard  ;  and  the  word 
of  God  was  with  power.    It  was  a  happy  opportunity. 

The  Manx  Men 
Men.  2. — The  greater  part  of  them  were  present  at 
five  in  the  morning.  A  more  loving,  simple-hearted 
people  than  this  I  never  saw.  And  no  wonder ;  for 
they  have  but  six  Papists,  and  no  Dissenters,  in  the 
island.  It  is  supposed  to  contain  near  thirty  thousand 
people,  remarkably  courteous  and  humane.  Ever  since 
smuggling  was  suppressed,  they  diligently  cultivate  their 
land  :  and  they  have  a  large  herring  fishery,  so  that  the 
country  improves  daily. 


416  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1777 

The  old  castle  at  Peel  (as  well  as  the  cathedral  built 
within  it)  is  only  a  heap  of  ruins.  It  was  very  large, 
and  exceeding  strong,  with  many  brass  guns ;  but  they 
are  now  remo^'ed  to  England. 

I  set  out  for  Douglas  in  the  one-horse  chaise,  Mrs. 
Smyth  riding  with  me.  In  about  an  hour,  in  spite  of 
all  I  could  do,  the  headstrong  horse  ran  the  wheel 
against  a  large  stone:  the  chaise  overset  in  a  moment; 
but  we  fell  so  gently  on  smooth  grass,  that  neither  of  us 
was  hurt  at  all.  In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Douglas, 
to  near  as  large  a  congregation  as  that  at  Peel,  but  not 
near  so  serious.  Before  ten  we  went  on  board,  and 
about  twelve  on  Tuesday,  3,  landed  at  Whitehaven.  I 
preached  at  five  in  the  afternoon;  and  hastening  to 
Cockermouth,  found  a  large  congregation  waiting  in  the 
castle-yard.  Between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  I  took 
chaise ;  and  about  ten  on  Wednesday,  4,  reached  Settle. 
In  the  evening  I  preached  near  the  market-place,  and 
all  but  two  or  three  gentlefolks  were  seriously  attentive. 
Thursday,  5.    About  noon  I  came  to  Otley. 

"Taught  by  a  Chaise  Boy** 

Mon.  July  21. — Having  been  much  pressed  to  preach 
at  Jatterson,  a  colliery,  six  or  seven  miles  from  Pembroke, 
I  began  soon  after  seven.  The  house  was  presently 
filled,  and  all  the  space  about  the  doors  and  windows ; 
and  the  poor  people  drank  in  every  word.  I  had  finished 
my  sermon,  when  a  gentleman,  violently  pressing  in, 
bade  the  people  get  home  and  mind  their  business.  As 
he  used  some  bad  words,  my  driver  spake  to  him.  He 
fiercely  said,  "  Do  you  think  I  need  to  be  taught  by  a 
chaise-boy?"  The  lad  replying,  "Really,  Sir,  I  do 
think  so,"  the  conversation  ended. 

Tues.  Aug.  5. — Our  yearly  Conference  began.  I 


Aug.  1777    WESLEY  AT  CONFERENCE 


417 


now  particularly  inquired  (as  that  report  had  been  spread 
far  and  wide)  of  every  assistant,  "  Have  you  reason  to 
believe,  from  your  own  observation,  that  the  Methodists 
are  a  fallen  people  ?  Is  there  a  decay  or  an  increase  in 
the  work  of  God  where  you  have  been  ?  Are  the 
societies  in  general  more  dead,  or  more  alive  to  God, 
than  they  were  some  years  ago  ?  "  The  almost  universal 
answer  was,  "  If  we  must  '  know  them  by  their  fruits,' 
there  is  no  decay  in  the  work  of  God  among  the  people 
in  general.  The  societies  are  not  dead  to  God  :  they 
are  as  much  alive  as  they  have  been  for  many  years. 
And  we  look  on  this  report  as  a  mere  device  of  Satan, 
to  make  our  hands  hang  down." 

Are  the  Methodists  a  Fallen  People? 

But  how  can  this  question  be  decided  ?  "  You,  and 
you,  can  judge  no  farther  than  you  see.  You  cannot 
judge  of  one  part  by  another;  of  the  people  of  London, 
suppose,  by  those  of  Bristol.  And  none  but  myself  has 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  them  throughout  the  three 
kingdoms. 

But  to  come  to  a  short  issue.  In  most  places,  the 
Methodists  are  still  a  poor  despised  people,  labouring 
under  reproach,  and  many  inconveniences ;  therefore, 
wherever  the  power  of  God  is  not,  they  decrease.  By 
this,  then,  you  may  form  a  sure  judgment.  Do  the 
Methodists  in  general  decrease  in  number  ?  Then  they 
decrease  in  grace;  they  are  a  fallen,  or,  at  least,  a 
falling  people.  But  they  do  not  decrease  in  number; 
they  continually  increase;  therefore,  they  are  not  a 
fallen  people. 

The  Conference  concluded  on  Friday,  as  it  began,  in 
much  love. 

•  D 


il8 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1778 


Wesley  Starts  a  Magazine 
^  Mon.  Nov.  14. — Having  been  many  times  desired,  for 
near  forty  years,  to  publish  a  magazine,  I  at  length 
complied  ;  and  now  began  to  collect  materials  for  it.  If 
it  once  begin,  I  incline  to  think  it  will  not  end  but  with 
my  life. 

Wed.  Dec.  17. — Just  at  this  time  there  was  a  combi- 
nation among  many  of  the  post-chaise  drivers  on  the 
Bath  road,  especially  those  that  drove  in  the  night,  to 
deliver  their  passengers  into  each  other's  hands.  One 
driver  stopped  at  the  spot  they  had  appointed,  where 
another  waited  to  attack  the  chaise.  In  consequence  of 
this  many  were  robbed  ;  but  I  had  a  good  Protector  still. 
I  have  travelled  all  roads,  by  day  and  by  night,  for  these 
forty  years,  and  never  was  interrupted  yet. 

1778.  Friday,  Jan.  27,  was  the  day  appointed  for  the 
national  fast ;  and  it  was  observed  with  due  solemnity. 
All  shops  were  shut  up  ;  all  was  quiet  in  the  streets ;  all 
places  of  public  worship  were  crowded ;  no  food  was 
served  up  in  the  King's  house  till  five  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing. Thus  far,  at  least,  we  acknowledge  God  may  direct 
our  paths. 

Sun.  June  28. — I  am  this  day  seventy-five  years  old; 
and  I  do  not  find  myself,  blessed  be  God,  any  weaker 
than  I  was  at  five-and-twenty.  This  also  hath  God 
wrought ! 

Wesley  Discusses  Old  Sermons 
Tues.  Sept.  i. — I  went  to  Tiverton.  I  was  musing 
here  on  what  I  heard  a  good  man  say  long  since — 
"  Once  in  seven  years  I  burn  all  my  sermons ;  for  it  is 
a  shame  if  I  cannot  write  better  sermons  now  than  I 
could  seven  years  ago."    Whatever  others  can  do,  I 


Sept.  1778  WESLEY  AND  HIS  SERMONS  4ip 


really  cannot.  I  cannot  write  a  better  sermon  on  the 
Good  Steward,  than  I  did  seven  years  ago :  I  cannot 
write  a  better  on  the  Great  Assize,  than  I  did  twenty 
years  ago :  I  cannot  write  a  better  on  the  Use  of  Money, 
than  I  did  near  thirty  years  ago :  nay,  I  know  not  that 
I  can  write  a  better  on  the  Circumcision  of  the  Heart, 
than  I  did  five-and-forty  years  ago.  Perhaps,  indeed,  I 
may  have  read  five  or  six  hundred  books  more  than  I 
had  then,  and  may  know  a  little  more  history,  or  natural 
philosophy,  than  I  did  :  but  I  am  not  sensible  that  this  has 
made  any  essential  addition  to  my  knowledge  in  divinity. 
Forty  years  ago  I  knew  and  preached  every  Christian 
doctrine  which  I  preach  now. 

Among  the  Ruins 
Thur.  3. — About  noon  I  preached  at  Cathanger,  about 
eight  miles  from  Taunton.  It  was  an  exceeding  large 
house,  built  (as  the  inscription  over  the  gate  testifies)  in 
the  year  1555,  by  Sergeant  Walsh,  who  had  then  eight 
thousand  pounds  a  year;  perhaps  more  than  equal  to 
twenty  thousand  now.  But  the  once  famous  family  is 
now  forgotten;  the  estate  is  mouldered  almost  into 
nothing  ;  and  three  quarters  of  the  magnificent  buildings 
lie  level  with  the  dust.  I  preached  in  the  great  hall, 
like  that  of  Lincoln  College,  to  a  very  serious  congrega- 
tion. 

In  the  evening  I  preached  at  South-Petherton,  once 
a  place  of  renown,  and  the  capital  of  a  Saxon  kingdom  ; 
as  is  vouched  by  a  palace  of  King  Ina  still  remaining, 
and  a  very  large  and  ancient  church.  I  suppose  the 
last  blow  given  to  it  was  by  Judge  Jefferies,  who,  after 
Monmouth's  rebellion,  hanged  so  many  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, and  drove  so  many  away,  that  it  is  never  likely  to 
lift  up  its  head  again. 


420 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Nov.  1778 


City  Road  Chapel  Opened 

Sunday,  November  i,  was  the  day  appointed  for  open- 
ing the  new  chapel  in  the  City-road.  It  is  perfectly  neat, 
but  not  fine ;  and  contains  far  more  people  than  the 
Foundery  :  I  believe,  together  with  the  morning  chapel, 
as  many  as  the  Tabernacle.  Many  were  afraid  that  the 
multitudes,  crowding  from  all  parts,  would  have  occa- 
sioned much  disturbance.  But  they  were  happily  dis- 
appointed :  there  was  none  at  all :  all  was  quietness 
decency,  and  order.  I  preached  on  part  of  Solomon's 
Prayer  at  the  Dedication  of  the  Temple ;  and  both  in 
the  morning  and  afternoon  (when  I  preached  on  the 
hundred  forty  and  four  thousand  standing  with  the  Lamb 
on  Mount  Zion),  God  was  eminently  present  in  the 
midst  of  the  congregation. 

Mon.  2. — I  went  to  Chatham,  and  preached  in  the 
evening  to  a  lively,  loving  congregation.  Tuesday,  3.  I 
went  by  v,-ater  to  Sheerness.  Our  room  being  far  too 
small  for  the  people  that  attended,  I  sent  to  the  Governor 
to  desire  (what  had  been  allowed  me  before)  the  use  of 
the  chapel.  He  refused  me  (uncivilly  enough),  affect- 
ing to  doubt  whether  I  was  in  orders  !  So  I  preached  to 
as  many  as  it  would  contain  in  our  own  room. 

Wed.  4. — I  took  a  view  of  the  old  church  at  Minster, 
once  a  spacious  and  elegant  building.  It  stands 
pleasantly  on  the  top  of  a  hill,  and  commands  all  the 
country  round.  We  went  from  thence  to  Queensborough, 
which  contains  above  fifty  houses,  and  sends  two  mem- 
bers to  Parliament.  Surely  the  whole  Isle  of  Sheppey  is 
now  but  a  shadow  of  what  it  was  once. 

Thur.  5. — I  returned  to  Chatham,  and  the  following 
morning  set  out  on  the  stage-coach  for  London.  At  the 
end  of  Stroud,  I  chose  to  walk  up  the  hill,  leaving  the 


Mar.  1779    WALKING  AND  SLEEPING  421 

coach  to  follow  me.  But  it  was  in  no  great  haste :  it  did 
not  overtake  me  till  I  had  walked  above  five  miles.  I 
cared  not  if  it  had  been  ten:  the  more  I  walk,  the 
sounder  I  sleep. 

Sun.  15. — Having  promised  to  preach  in  the  evening 
at  St.  Antholine's  church,  I  had  desired  one  to  have  a 
coach  ready  at  the  door,  when  the  service  at  the  new 
chapel  was  ended.  But  he  had  forgot ;  so  that,  after 
preaching  and  meeting  the  society,  I  was  obliged  to  walk 
as  fast  as  I  could  .to  the  church.  The  people  were  so 
wedged  together,  that  it  was  with  difficulty  I  got  in.  The 
church  was  extremely  hot ;  but  this  I  soon  forgot ;  for 
it  pleased  God  to  send  a  gracious  rain  upon  his  inheri- 
tance. 

Sun.  29. — I  was  desired  to  preach  a  charity  sermon  in 
St.  Luke's  church.  Old-street.  I  doubt  whether  it  was 
ever  so  crowded  before ;  and  the  fear  of  God  seemed  to 
possess  the  whole  audience.  In  the  afternoon  I  preached 
at  the  new  chapel;  and  at  seven,  in  St.  Margaret's, 
Rood-lane ;  full  as  much  crowded  as  St.  Luke's.  Is 
then  the  scandal  of  the  cross  ceased  ? 

Wesley  goes  North 
1779.  Mon.Mar.  15. — I  began  my  tour  through  England 
and  Scotland ;  the  lovely  weather  continuing,  such  as 
the  oldest  man  alive  has  not  seen  before,  for  January, 
February,  and  half  of  March.  In  the  evening  I  preached 
at  Stroud,  the  next  morning  at  Gloucester,  designing  to 
preach  in  Stanley  at  two,  and  at  Tewkesbury  in  the 
evening:  but  the  minister  of  Gratton  (near  Stanley) 
sending  me  word,  I  was  welcome  to  the  use  of  his 
church,  I  ordered  notice  to  be  given,  that  the  service 
would  begin  there  at  six  o'clock.  Stanley  chapel  was 
thoroughly  filled  at  two.    It  is  eighteen  years  since  I 


422  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1779 

was  there  before ;  so  that  many  of  those  whom  I  saw 
here  then  were  now  grey-headed ;  and  many  were  gone 
to  Abraham's  bosom.  May  we  follow  them  as  they 
did  Christ  ! 

Thur.  25. — I  preached  in  the  new  house  which  Mr. 
Fletcher  has  built  in  Madeley-wood.  The  people  here 
exactly  resemble  those  at  Kingswood ;  only  they  are 
more  simple  and  teachable.  But  for  want  of  dis- 
cipline, the  immense  pains  which  he  has  taken  with 
them  has  not  done  the  good  which"  might  have  been 
expected. 

I  preached  at  Shrewsbury  in  the  evening,  and  on 
Friday,  26,  about  noon,  in  the  assembly-room  at  Broseley. 
It  was  well  we  were  in  the  shade  ;  for  the  sun  shone  as 
hot  as  it  usually  does  at  midsummer.  We  walked  from 
thence  to  Coalbrook-dale,  and  took  a  view  of  the  bridge 
which  is  shortly  to  be  thrown  over  the  Severn.  It  is 
one  arch,  a  hundred  feet  broad,  fifty-two  high,  and 
eighteen  wide ;  all  of  cast-iron,  weighing  many  hundred 
tons.  I  doubt  whether  che  Colossus  at  Rhodes  weighed 
much  more. 

Thur.  April  15. — I  went  to  Halifax,  where  a  little 
thing  had  lately  occasioned  great  disturbance.  An  angel 
blowing  a  trumpet  was  placed  on  the  sounding-board 
over  the  pulpit.  Many  were  vehemently  against  this ; 
others  as  vehemently  for  it :  but  a  total  end  was  soon 
put  to  the  contest ;  for  the  angel  vanished  away.  The 
congregations,  morning  and  evening,  were  very  large  ; 
and  the  work  of  God  seems  to  increase  in  depth  as  well 
as  extent. 

Sun.  May  2. — Dr.  Kershaw,  the  vicar  of  Leeds, 
desired  me  to  assist  him  at  the  sacrament.  It  was  a 
solemn  season.  We  were  ten  clergymen,  and  seven  or 
eight  hundred  communicants.     Mr.  Atkinson  desired 


July  1779       PATERNAL  AFFECTION  423 

me  to  preach  in  the  afternoon.  Such  a  congregation 
had  been  seldom  seen  there ;  but  I  preached  to  a  much 
larger  in  our  own  house  at  five ;  and  I  found  no  want  of 
strength. 

Mon.  June  28. — I  preached  in  the  new  preaching- 
house,  at  Robin-Hood's-bay,  and  then  went  on  to  Scar- 
borough. Tuesday,  29, 1  spent  agreeably  and  profitably 
with  ray  old  friends ;  and  in  my  way  to  Bridlington, 
Wednesday,  30,  took  a  view  of  Flamborough-head.  It 
is  an  huge  rock,  rising  perpendicular  from  the  sea  to  an 
immense  height,  which  gives  shelter  to  an  innumerable 
multitude  of  sea-fowl  of  various  kinds.  I  preached  in 
the  evening  at  Bridlington,  and  afterwards  heard  a  very 
uncommon  instance  of  paternal  affection  : — A  gentlema)i 
of  the  town  had  a  favourite  daughter,  whom  he  set  up  in 
a  milliner's  shop.  Some  time  after  she  had  a  concern 
for  her  soul,  and  believed  it  her  duty  to  enter  into  the 
society.  Upon  this  her  good  father  forbad  her  his 
house  ;  demanding  all  the  money  he  had  laid  out ;  and 
required  her  instantly  to  sell  all  her  goods,  in  order  to 
make  the  payment  I 

Wesley  Attended  by  Felons 

Wed.  July  21. — When  I  came  to  Coventry,  I  found 
notice  had  been  given  for  my  preaching  in  the  park  ; 
but  the  heavy  rain  prevented.  I  sent  to  the  Mayor, 
desiring  the  use  of  the  town-hall.  He  refused  ;  but  the 
same  day  gave  the  use  of  it  to  a  dancing-master.  I 
then  went  to  the  women's  market.  Many  soon  gathered 
together,  and  listened  with  all  seriousness.  I  preached 
there  again  the  next  morning,  Thursday,  22,  and  again 
in  the  evening.  Then  I  took  coach  for  London.  I 
was  nobly  attended  :  behind  the  coach  were  ten  con- 
victed felons,  loudly  blaspheming  and  rattling  their 


424 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Oct.  1779 


chains ;  by  my  side  sat  a  man  with  a  loaded  blunderbuss, 
and  another  upon  the  coach. 

Sun.  25. — Both  the  chapels  were  full  enough.  On 
Monday,  I  retired  to  Lewisham  to  write. 

Tues.  August  3.  Our  Conference  began ;  which  con- 
tinued and  ended  in  peace  and  love.  Sunday,  8.  I  was 
at  West-street  in  the  morning,  and  at  the  new  chapel 
in  the  evening,  when  I  took  a  solemn  leave  of  the 
affectionate  congregation.  This  was  the  last  night  which 
I  spent  at  the  Foundery.  What  hath  God  wrought 
there  in  one-and-forty  years  ! 

Fri.  August  13  (Monmouth). — As  I  was  going  down 
a  steep  pair  of  stairs,  my  foot  slipped,  and  I  fell  down 
several  steps.  Falling  on  the  edge  of  one  of  them,  it  broke 
the  case  of  an  almanack,  which  was  in  my  pocket,  all  to 
pieces.  The  edge  of  another  stair  met  my  right  buckle, 
and  snapped  the  steel  chape  of  it  in  two ;  but  I  was  not 
hurt.  So  doth  our  good  Master  give  his  angels  charge 
over  us  !    In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Brecknock. 

"Make  your  Will  before  you  Sleep** 

Thurs.  Sept.  23. — In  the  evening  one  sat  behind 
me  in  the  pulpit  at  Bristol,  who  was  one  of  our  first 
masters  at  Kingswood.  A  little  after  he  left  the  school 
he  likewise  left  the  society.  Riches  then  flowed  in  upon 
him ;  with  which,  having  no  relations,  Mr.  Spencer 
designed  to  do  much  good — after  his  death,  "  But 
God  said  unto  him.  Thou  fool !  "  Two  hours  after  he 
died  intestate,  and  left  all  his  money  to — be  scrambled 
for  ! 

Reader,  if  you  have  not  done  it  already,  make  your 
will  before  you  sleep  ! 

Wed.  Oct.  6. — At  eleven  I  preached  in  Winchester, 
where  there  are  four  thousand  five  hundred  French 


April  1780      WESLEY'S  NEW  HOUSE  425 

prisoners.  I  was  glad  to  find  they  have  plenty  of  whole- 
some food ;  and  are  treated,  in  all  respects,  with  great 
humanity^ 

In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Portsmouth-common. 
Thursday,  7.  I  took  a  view  of  the  camp  adjoining  to  the 
town,  and  wondered  to  find  it  as  clean  and  as  neat  as  a 
gentleman's  garden.  But  there  was  no  chaplain.  The 
English  soldiers  of  this  age  have  nothing  to  do  with 
God! 

Fri.  8. — We  took  chaise,  as  usual,  at  two,  and  about 
eleven  came  to  Cobham.  Having  a  little  leisure,  I 
thought  I  could  not  employ  it  better  than  in  taking  a 
walk  through  the  gardens.  They  are  said  to  take  up 
four  hundred  acres,  and  are  admirably  well  laid  out. 
They  far  exceed  the  celebrated  gardens  at  Stow. 

This  night  I  lodged  in  the  new  house  at  London. 
How  many  more  nights  have  I  to  spend  there  ? 

1780.  Sun.  Jan.  23. — In  the  evening  I  retired  to 
Lewisham,  to  prepare  matter  (who  would  believe  it)  for 
a  monthly  magazine.  Friday,  February  4,  being  tha 
national  fast,  I  preached  first  at  the  new  chapel,  and 
then  at  St.  Peter's  Cornhill.  What  a  difference  in  the 
congregation  !  Yet  out  of  these  stones  God  can  raise 
up  children  to  Abraham. 

Wesley  at  the  German  Settlement 
Mod.  April  17. — I  left  Leeds  in  one  of  the  roughest 
mornings  I  have  ever  seen.  We  had  rain,  hail,  snow, 
and  wind,  in  abundance.  About  nine  I  preached  at 
Bramley;  between  one  and  two  at  Pudsey.  Afterwards 
I  walked  to  Fulneck,  the  German  settlement.  Mr.  Moore 
showed  us  the  house,  chapel,  hall,  lodging-rooms,  the 
apartments  of  the  widows,  the  single  men,  and  single 
women.  He  showed  us  likewise  the  workshops  of  various 


426  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        May  1780 

kinds,  with  the  shops  for  grocery,  drapery,  mercery,  hard- 
ware, &c.,  with  which,  as  well  as  with  bread  from  their 
bakehouse,  they  furnish  the  adjacent  country.  I  see  not 
what  but  the  fnighty  power  of  God  can  hinder  them  from 
acquiring  millions;  as  they,  i.  Buy  all  materials  with 
ready  money  at  the  best  hand ;  2.  Have  above  a  hun- 
dred young  men,  above  fifty  young  women,  many  widows, 
and  above  a  hundred  married  persons  ;  all  of  whom  are 
employed  from  morning  to  night,  without  any  intermis- 
sion, in  various  kinds  of  manufactures,  not  for  journey- 
men's wages,  but  for  no  wages  at  all,  save  a  little  very 
plain  food  and  raiment :  as  they  have.  3.  A  quick  sale 
for  all  their  goods,  and  sell  them  all  for  ready  money. 
But  can  they  lay  up  treasure  on  earth,  and  at  the  same 
time  lay  up  treasure  in  heaven  ? 

Sat.  May  20. — I  took  one  more  walk  through  Holy- 
rood-house,  the  mansion  of  ancient  kings.  But  how 
melancholy  an  appearance  does  it  make  now  !  The 
stately  rooms  are  dirty  as  stables;  the  colours  of  the 
tapestry  are  quite  faded  ;  several  of  the  pictures  are  cut 
and  defaced.  The  roof  of  the  royal  chapel  is  fallen  in ; 
and  the  bones  of  James  the  Fifth,  and  the  once  beautiful 
Lord  Darnley,  are  scattered  about  like  those  of  sheep  or 
oxen.  Such  is  human  greatness  !  Is  not  "  a  living  dog 
better  than  a  dead  lion  ?  " 

Sun.  21. — The  rain  hindered  me  from  preaching  at 
noon  upon  the  Castle-hill.  In  the  evening  the  house 
was  well  filled,  and  I  was  enabled  to  speak  strong  words. 
But  I  am  not  a  preacher  for  the  people  of  Edinburgh. 

Tues.  23. — A  gentleman  took  me  to  see  Roslyn- 
castle,  eight  miles  from  Edinburgh.  It  is  now  all  in 
ruins,  only  a  small  dwelling-house  is  built  on  one  part  of 
it.  The  situation  of  it  is  exceeeding  fine,  on  the  side  of 
a  steep  mountain,  hanging  over  a  river,  from  which 


June  1780  WESLEY  AND  ROSLYN  CHAPEL  427 

another  mountain  rises,  equally  steep,  and  clothed  with 
wood.  At  a  little  distance  is  the  chapel,  which  is  in 
perfect  preservation,  both  within  and  without.  I  should 
never  have  thought  it  had  belonged  to  any  one  less  than  a 
sovereign  prince  !  the  inside  being  far  more  elegantly 
wrought  with  variet}'  of  Scripture  histories  in  stone-work, 
than  I  believe  can  be  found  again  in  Scotland ;  perhaps 
not  in  all  England. 

The  Bishop  of  Durham's  Tapestry 

Wed.  31. — I  went  to  Mr.  Parker's,  at  Shincliff,  near 
Durham.  The  congregation  being  far  too  large  to  get 
into  the  house,  I  stood  near  his  door.  It  seemed  as  if 
the  whole  village  were  ready  to  receive  the  truth  in  the 
love  thereof.  Perhaps  their  earnestness  may  provoke 
the  people  of  Durham  to  jealousy. 

In  the  afternoon  we  took  a  view  of  the  castle  at  Dur- 
ham, the  residence  of  the  bishop.  The  situation  is  won- 
derfully fine,  surrounded  by  the  river,  and  commanding 
all  the  country  j  and  many  of  the  apartments  are  large 
and  stately;  but  the  furniture  is  mean  beyond  imagina- 
tion !  I  know  not  where  I  have  seen  such  in  a  gentle- 
man's house,  or  a  man  of  five  hundred  a  year,  except 
that  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant  in  Dublin.  In  the  largest 
chambers,  the  tapestry  is  quite  faded ;  beside  that,  it  is 
coarse  and  ill-judged.  Take  but  one  instance : — In 
Jacob's  vision  you  see,  on  the  one  side,  a  httle  paltry 
ladder,  and  an  an^el  climbing  it,  in  the  attitude  of  a 
chimney-sweeper ;  and  on  the  other  side  Jacob  staring 
at  him,  from  under  a  large  silver-laced  hat. 

Mon.  June  5  (York). — An  arch  news-writer  published 
a  paragraph  to-day,  probably  designed  for  wit,  concerning 
the  large  pension  which  the  famous  Wesley  received  for 
defending  the  king.   This  so  in.reased  the  congregation 


428  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1780 

in  the  evening,  that  scores  were  obliged  to  go  away. 
And  God  applied  that  word  to  many  hearts,  "  I  will 
not  destroy  the  city  for  ten's  sake  ?  " 

Mon.  12.-— About  eleven  I  preached  at  Newton-upon- 
Trent,  to  a  large  and  very  genteel  congregation.  Thence 
we  went  to  Newark  :  but  our  friends  were  divided  as  to 
the  place  where  I  should  preach.  At  length  they  found 
a  convenient  place,  covered  on  three  sides,  and  on  the 
fourth  open  to  the  street.  It  contained  two  or  three 
thousand  people  well,  who  appeared  to  hear  as  for  life. 
Only  one  big  man,  exceeding  drunk,  was  very  noisy  and 
turbulent,  till  his  wife  seized  him  by  the  collar,  gave  him 
two  or  three  hearty  boxes  on  the  ear,  and  dragged  him 
away  like  a  calf.  But,  at  length,  he  got  out  of  her 
hands,  crept  in  among  the  people,  and  stood  as  quiet  as 
a  lamb. 

"Wesley  on     Boston  Stump** 

Fri.  16. — We  went  on  to  Boston,  the  largest  town  in 
the  county,  except  Lincoln.  From  the  top  of  the  steeple 
(which  I  suppose  is  by  far  the  highest  tower  in  the 
kingdom)  we  had  a  view  not  only  of  all  the  town,  but  of 
all  the  adjacent  country.  Formerly  this  town  was  in 
the  fens  ;  but  the  fens  are  vanished  away :  great  part  of 
them  is  turned  into  pasture,  and  part  into  arable  land. 
At  six  the  house  contained  the  congregation,  all  of 
whom  behaved  in  the  most  decent  manner. 

Wed.  28. — I  went  to  Sheffield:  but  the  house  was 
not  ready ;  so  I  preached  in  the  square. 

I  can  hardly  think  I  am  entered  this  day  into  the 
seventy-eighth  year  of  my  age.  By  the  blessing  of  God, 
I  am  just  the  same  as  when  I  entered  the  twenty-eighth. 
This  hath  God  wrought,  chiefly  by  my  constant  exercise, 
my  rising  early,  and  preachuig  morning  and  evening. 


Oct.  1780  THE  DUKE  OF  DORSET'S  SEAT  429 

Mon.  Sept.  11. — As  I  drew  near  Bath,  I  wondered 
what  had  drawn  such  a  multitude  of  people  together,  till 
I  learnt,  that  one  of  the  members  for  the  city  had  given 
an  ox  to  be  roasted  whole.  But  their  sport  was  sadly 
interrupted  by  heavy  rain,  which  sent  them  home  faster 
than  they  came;  many  of  whom  dropped  in  at  our 
chapel,  where  I  suppose  they  never  had  been  before. 

Wesley  at  Sevenoaks 

Mon.  Oct.  16. — I  went  to  Tunbridge-wells,  and 
preached  to  a  serious  congregation,  on  Rev.  xx.  12. 
Tuesday,  17.  I  came  back  to  Sevenoaks,  and  in  the 
afternoon  walked  over  to  the  Duke  of  Dorset's  seat. 
The  park  is  the  pleasantest  I  ever  saw ;  the  trees  are  so 
elegantly  disposed.  The  house,  which  is  at  least  two 
hundred  years  old,  is  immensely  large.  It  consists  of 
two  squares,  considerably  bigger  than  the  two  quad- 
rangles in  Lincoln  college.  I  believe  we  were  shown 
above  thirty  rooms,  beside  the  hall,  the  chapels,  and 
three  galleries. 

The  pictures  are  innumerable ;  I  think,  four  times  as 
many  as  in  the  castle  at  Blenheim.  Into  one  of  the 
galleries  opens  the  king's  bedchamber,  ornamented  above 
all  the  rest.  The  bed-curtains  are  cloth-of-gold ;  and  so 
richly  wrought,  that  it  requires  some  strength  to  draw 
them.  The  tables,  the  chairs,  the  frames  of  the  looking- 
glasses,  are  all  plated  over  with  silver.  The  tapestry, 
representing  the  whole  history  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  is  as 
fresh  as  if  newly  woven.  But  the  bed-curtains  are  exceed- 
ing dirty,  and  look  more  like  copper  than  gold.  The 
silver  on  the  tables,  chairs,  and  glass,  looks  as  dull  as  lead. 
And,  to  complete  all.  King  Nebuchadnezzar  among  the 
beasts,  together  with  his  eagle's  claws,  has  a  large  crown 
upon  his  head,  and  is  clothed  in  scarlet  and  gold. 


430 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Dec.  1780 


Wesley  Visits  Lord  George  in  the  Tower 
Sat.  Dec.  16  (London). — Having  a  second  message 
from  Lord  George  Gordon,  earnestly  desiring  to  see  me, 
I  wrote  a  line  to  Lord  Stormont,  who,  on  Monday,  18, 
sent  me  a  warrant  to  see  him.  On  Tuesday,  19,  I 
spent  an  hour  with  him,  at  his  apartment  in  the  Tower. 
Our  conversation  turned  upon  Popery  and  religion.  He 
seemed  to  be  well  acquainted  with  the  Bible ;  and  had 
abundance  of  other  books,  enough  to  furnish  a  study. 
I  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  he  did  not  complain 
of  any  person  or  thing;  and  cannot  but  hope,  his 
confinement  will  take  a  right  turn,  and  prove  a  lasting 
blessing  to  him. 

Fri.  22. — At  the  desire  of  some  of  my  friends,  I 
accompanied  them  to  the  British  Museum.  What  an 
immense  field  is  here  for  curiosity  to  range  in!  One 
large  room  is  filled  from  top  to  bottom  with  things 
brought  from  Otaheite ;  two  or  three  more  with  things 
dug  out  of  the  ruins  of  Herculaneum  1  Seven  huge 
apartments  are  filled  with  curious  books ;  five  with 
manuscripts ;  two  with  fossils  of  all  sorts,  and  the  rest 
with  various  animals.  But  what  account  will  a  man 
give  to  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead  for  a  life  spent  in 
collecting  all  these  ? 

Sun.  24. — Desiring  to  make  the  most  of  this  solemn 
day,  I  preached  early  in  the  morning  at  the  new 
chapel ;  at  ten  and  four  I  preached  at  West-street ; 
and  in  the  evening  met  the  society  at  each  end  of  the 
town. 

Fri.  29. — I  saw  the  indictment  of  the  Grand  Jury 
against  Lord  George  Gordon.  I  stood  aghast !  What  a 
shocking  insult  upon  truth  and  common  sense  !  But  it 
is  the  usual  form.    The  more  is  the  shame.    Why  will 


April  1781        FIRE  IN  CITY  ROAD  431 


not  the  Parliament  remove  this  scandal  from  our 
nation  ? 

Sat.  30. — Waking  between  one  and  two  in  the  morning, 
I  observed  a  bright  light  shine  upon  the  chapel.  I 
easily  concluded  there  was  a  fire  near ;  probably  in  the 
adjoining  timber-yard.  If  so,  I  knew  it  would  soon  lay 
us  in  ashes.  I  first  called  all  the  family  to  prayer; 
then  going  out,  we  found  the  fire  about  a  hundred  yards 
off,  and  had  broke  out  while  the  wind  was  south.  But 
a  sailor  cried  out,  "  Avast !  Avast !  the  wind  is  turned  in 
I  moment ! "  So  it  did,  to  the  west,  while  we  were 
at  prayer,  and  so  drove  the  flame  from  us.  We  then 
thankfully  returned,  and  I  rested  well  the  residue  of  the 
night. 

1781.  Thur.  Jan.  25. — I  spent  an  agreeable  hour  at 
I  concert  of  my  nephews.  But  I  was  a  little  out  of  my 
element  among  lords  and  ladies.  I  love  plain  music 
ind  plain  company  best. 

A  Rough  Voyage 

Mon.  April  9. — Desiring  to  be  in  Ireland  as  soon  as 
possible,  I  hastened  to  Liverpool,  and  found  a  ship 
ready  to  sail ;  but  the  wind  was  contrary,  till  on  Thurs- 
day morning,  the  captain  came  in  haste,  and  told  us,  the 
wind  was  come  quite  fair.  So  Mr.  Floyd,  Snowden, 
Joseph  Bradford,  and  I,  with  two  of  our  sisters,  went  on 
board.  But  scarce  were  we  out  at  sea,  when  the  wind 
turned  quite  foul,  and  rose  higher  and  higher.  In  an 
hour  I  was  so  affected,  as  I  had  not  been  for  forty  years 
before.  For  two  days  I  could  not  swallow  the  quantity 
of  a  pea  of  anything  solid,  and  very  Uttle  of  any  liquid. 
I  was  bruised  and  sore  from  head  to  foot,  and  ill  able  to 
turn  me  on  the  bed. 

All  Friday,  the  storm  increasing,  the  sea  of  conse- 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL 


April  1781 


quence  was  rougher  and  rougher.  Early  on  Saturday 
morning,  the  hatches  were  closed,  which,  together  with 
the  violent  motion,  made  our  horses  so  turbulent,  that  I 
was  afraid  we ^  must  have  killed  them,  lest  they  should 
damage  the  ship.  Mrs.  S.  now  crept  to  me,  threw  her 
arms  over  me,  and  said,  "  O  Sir,  we  will  die  together  I  " 
We  had  by  this  time  three  feet  water  in  the  hold,  though 
it  was  an  exceeding  light  vessel.  Meantime  we  were 
furiously  driving  on  a  lee-shore  ;  and  when  the  captain 
cried,  "  Helm-a  lee,"  she  would  not  obey  the  helm.  I 
called  our  brethren  to  prayers  ;  and  we  found  free  access 
to  the  throne  of  grace.  Soon  after  we  got,  I  know  not  how, 
into  Holyhead  harbour,  after  being  sufficiently  buffeted 
by  the  winds  and  waves  for  two  days  and  two  nights. 

The  more  I  considered,  the  more  I  was  convinced,  it 
was  not  the  will  of  God  I  should  go  to  Ireland  at  this 
time.  So  we  went  into  the  stage-coach  without  delay, 
and  the  next  evening  came  to  Chester. 

I  now  considered  in  what  place  I  could  spend  a  few 
days  to  the  greatest  advantage.  I  soon  thought  of  the 
Isle  of  Man,  and  those  parts  of  Wales  which  I  could 
not  well  see  in  my  ordinary  course.  I  judged  it  would 
be  best  to  begin  with  the  latter.  So,  after  a  day  or  two's 
rest,  on  Wednesday,  18,  I  set  out  for  Brecon,  purposing 
to  take  Whitchurch  (where  I  had  not  been  for  many 
years)  and  Shrewsbury  in  my  way.  At  noon  I  preached 
in  Whitchurch,  to  a  numerous  and  very  serious  audience ; 
in  the  evening  at  Shrewsbury ;  where,  seeing  the  earnest- 
ness of  the  people,  I  agreed  to  stay  another  day. 

Not  knowing  the  best  way  from  hence  to  Brecon,  I 
thought  well  to  go  round  by  Worcester.  I  took  Broseley 
in  my  way,  and  thereby  had  a  view  of  the  iron  bridge 
over  the  Severn  :  I  suppose  the  first  and  the  only  one  in 
Europe.    It  will  not  soon  be  imitated. 


May  1 78 1    MELANCHOLY  ST.  DAVID'S  433 

Tues.  May  i. — I  rode  to  St.  David's,  seventeen 
measured  miles  from  Haverford.  I  •n-as  surprised  to  find 
all  the  land,  for  the  last  nine  or  ten  miles,  so  fruitful  and 
well  cultivated.  What  a  difference  is  there  between  the 
westermost  parts  of  England,  and  the  westermost  parts 
of  Wales  !  the  former  (the  west  of  Cornwall),  so  barren 
and  wild  ;  the  latter,  so  fruitful  and  well-improved.  But 
the  town  itself  is  a  melancholy  spectacle.  I  saw  but  one 
tolerable  good  house  in  it.  The  rest  were  miserable  huts 
indeed.  I  do  not  remember  so  mean  a  town  even  in 
Ireland.  The  cathedral  has  been  a  large  and  stately 
fabric,  far  superior  to  any  other  in  Wales.  But  a  great 
part  of  it  is  fallen  down  already ;  and  the  rest  is  hasten- 
ing into  ruin  :  one  blessed  fruit  (among  many)  of 
bishops  residing  at  a  distance  from  their  see.  Here  are 
the  tombs  and  effigies  of  many  ancient  worthies  :  Owen 
Tudor  in  particular.  But  the  zealous  Cromwellians 
broke  off  their  noses,  hands,  and  feet;  and  defaced 
them  as  much  as  possible.  But  what  had  the  Tudors 
done  to  them  ?    Why,  they  were  progenitors  of  Kings. 

In  the  Isle  of  Man 

Wed.  30- — I  embarked  on  board  the  packet-boat,  for 
the  Isle  of  Man.  We  had  a  dead  calm  for  many  hours  : 
however,  we  landed  at  Douglas  on  Friday  morning. 
Both  the  preachers  met  me  here,  and  gave  me  a  comfort- 
able account  of  the  still  increasing  work  of  God. 

Before  dinner,  we  took  a  walk  in  a  garden  near  the 
town,  wherein  any  of  the  inhabitants  of  it  may  walk.  It 
is  wonderfully  pleasant ;  yet  not  so  pleasant  as  the 
gardens  of  the  Nunnery  (so  it  is  still  called),  which  are 
not  far  from  it.  These  are  delightfully  laid  out,  and  yield 
to  few  places  of  the  size  in  England. 

At  six  I  preached  in  the  market-place,  to  a  large 

2  E 


431  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1781 

congregation;  all  of  whom,  except  a  few  children,  and  two 
or  three  giddy  young  women,  were  seriously  attentive. 

Sat.  June  2.  —  I  rode  to  Castleton,  through  a 
pleasant  and  ^now)  well-cultivated  country.  At  six  I 
preached  in  the  market-place,  to  most  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town,  on,  "  One  thing  is  needful."  I  bel'eve 
the  word  carried  conviction  into  the  hearts  of  nearly  aU 
that  heard  it.  Afterwards  I  walked  to  the  house  of  one 
of  our  English  friends,  about  two  miles  from  the  town. 
All  the  day  I  observed,  wherever  I  was,  one  circum- 
stance that  surprised  me: — In  England  we  generally 
hear  the  birds  singing,  morning  and  evening ;  but  here 
thrushes  and  various  other  kinds  of  birds,  were  singing 
all  day  long.  They  did  not  intermit,  even  during  the 
noon-day  heat,  where  they  had  a  few  trees  to  shade  them. 

Preach  ing  at  Peel 

June  3. — (Being  Whitsunday.)  I  preached  in  the 
market-place  again  about  nine,  to  a  still  larger  congrega- 
tion than  before,  on,  "I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ."  How  few  of  the  genteel  hearers  could  say 
so !  About  four  in  the  afternoon,  I  preached  at 
Barewle,  on  the  mountains,  to  a  larger  congregation  than 
that  in  the  morning.  The  rain  began  soon  after  I  began 
preaching ;  but  ceased  in  a  few  minutes.  I  preached  on, 
"They  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost";  and  showed 
in  what  sense  this  belongs  to  us  and  to  our  children. 

Between  six  and  seven  I  preached  on  the  sea-shore  at 
Peel,  to  the  largest  congregation  I  have  seen  in  the 
island ;  even  the  society  nearly  filled  the  house.  I  soon 
found  what  spirit  they  were  of.  Hardly  in  England  (un- 
less perhaps  at  Bolton)  have  I  found  so  plain,  so  earnest, 
so  simple  a  people. 

Mon.  4. — We  had  such  a  congregation  at  five,  as 


Jlnei78i       good  MANX  SINGERS 


43:) 


might  have  been  expected  on  a  Sunda)'  evening.  We 
then  rode  through  and  over  the  mountains  to  Beer- 
garrow ;  where  I  enforced,  on  an  artless,  loving  congre- 
gation, "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
drink."  A  few  miles  from  thence,  we  came  to  Bishop's- 
court,  where  good  Bishop  Wilson  resided  near  threescore 
years.  There  is  something  venerable,  though  not  magni- 
ficent, in  the  ancient  palace;  and  it  is  undoubtedly  situated 
in  one  of  the  pleasantest  spots  of  the  whole  island. 

Tues.  5. — In  the  afternoon  we  rode  through  a  pleasant 
and  fruitful  country  to  Ramsay,  about  as  large  as  Peel, 
and  more  regularly  built.  The  rain  was  again  suspended 
while  I  preached  to  well  nigh  all  the  town ;  but  I  saw 
no  inattentive  hearers. 

An  Ideal  Circuit 

Wed.  6. — This  morning  we  rode  through  the  most 
woody,  and  far  the  pleasantest,  part  of  the  island  ; 
— a  range  of  fruitful  land,  lying  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  from  Ramsay,  through  Sulby,  to  Kirk- 
michael.  Here  we  stopped  to  look  at  the  plain  tomb- 
stones of  those  two  good  men,  Bishop  Wilson  and 
Bishop  Hildesley ;  whose  remains  are  deposited,  side  by 
side,  at  the  east  end  of  the  church.  We  had  scarce 
reached  Peel  before  the  rain  increased;  but  here  the 
preaching-house  contained  all  that  could  come.  After- 
wards, Mr.  Crook  desired  me  to  meet  the  singers.  I 
was  agreeably  surprised.  I  have  not  heard  better  sing- 
ing either  at  Bristol  or  London.  Many,  both  men  and 
women,  have  admirable  voices  ;  and  they  sing  with  good 
judgment.  Who  would  have  expected  this  in  the  Isle  of 
Man? 

Thur.  7. — I  met  our  little  body  of  Preachers.  They 
were  two-and- twenty  in  all.    I  never  saw  in  England  so 


436  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1781 

many  stout,  well-looking  Preachers  together.  If  their 
spirit  be  answerable  to  their  look,  I  know  not  what  can 
stand  before  them.  In  the  afternoon  I  rode  over  to 
Dawby,  and  preached  to  a  very  large  and  very  serious 
congregation. 

Fri.  8. — Having  now  visited  the  island  round,  east, 
south,  north,  and  west,  I  was  thoroughly  convinced  that 
we  have  no  such  circuit  as  this,  either  in  England,  Scot- 
land, or  Ireland.  It  is  shut  up  from  the  world ;  and, 
having  little  trade,  is  visited  by  scarce  any  strangers. 
Here  are  no  Papists,  no  Dissenters  of  any  kind,  no  Cal- 
vinists,  no  disputers.  Here  is  no  opposition,  either  from 
the  Governor  (a  mild,  humane  man),  from  the  bishop 
(a  good  man),  or  from  the  bulk  of  the  clergy.  One  or 
two  of  them  did  oppose  for  a  time ;  but  they  seem  now 
to  understand  better.  So  that  we  have  now  rather  too 
little,  than  too  much  reproach ;  the  scandal  of  the  cross 
being,  for  the  present,  ceased.  The  natives  are  a  plain, 
artless,  simple  people ;  unpolished,  that  is,  unpolluted  ; 
few  of  them  are  rich  or  genteel ;  the  far  greater  part 
moderately  poor ;  and  most  of  the  strangers  that  settle 
among  them  are  men  that  have  seen  affliction.  The 
Local  Preachers  are  men  of  faith  and  love,  knit  together 
in  one  mind  and  one  judgment.  They  speak  either  Manx 
or  English,  and  follow  a  regular  plan,  which  the  assistant 
gives  them  monthly. 

The  isle  is  supposed  to  have  thirty  thousand  inhabi- 
tants. Allowing  half  of  them  to  be  adults,  and  our 
societies  to  contain  one  or  two  and  twenty  hundred 
members,  what  a  fair  proportion  is  this !  What  has  been 
seen  like  this,  in  any  part  either  of  Great  Britain  or 
Ireland  ? 

Sat.  9. — We  would  willingly  have  set  sail;  but  the 
strong  north-east  wind  prevented  us.    Monday,  11.  It 


Mar.  1782  WESLEY  ON  JOHNSON'S  TOUR  437 


being  moderate,  we  put  to  sea  :  but  it  soon  died  away 
into  a  calm ;  so  I  had  time  to  read  over  and  consider 
Dr.  Johnson's  "  Tour  through  Scotland."  I  had  heard 
that  he  was  severe  upon  the  whole  nation ;  but  I  could 
find  nothing  of  it.  He  simply  mentions  (but  without 
any  bitterness)  what  he  approved  or  disapproved :  and 
many  of  the  reflections  are  extremely  judicious ;  some 
of  them  very  affecting. 

Tues.  12. — Having  several  passengers  on  board,  I 
offered  to  give  them  a  sermon ;  which  they  willingly 
accepted.  And  all  behaved  with  the  utmost  decency, 
while  I  showed  "  His  commandments  are  not  grievous." 
Soon  after,  a  little  breeze  sprung  up,  which,  early  in  the 
morning,  brought  us  to  Whitehaven. 

Thur,  28. — I  preached  at  eleven  in  the  main  street  at 
Selby,  to  a  large  and  quiet  congregation ;  and  in  the 
evening  at  Thorne.  This  day  I  entered  my  seventy- 
ninth  year ;  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  feel  no  more  of 
the  infirmities  of  old  age,  than  I  did  at  twenty-nine. 
Friday,  29.  I  preached  at  Crowle  and  at  Epworth.  I 
have  now  preached  thrice  a  day  for  seven  days  following; 
but  it  is  just  the  same  as  if  it  had  been  but  once. 

**A  Low,  Soft,  Solemn  Sound** 
1782.  March  29. — (Being  Good  Friday.)  I  came 
to  Macclesfield  just  time  enough  to  assist  Mr.  Simpson 
in  the  laborious  service  of  the  day.  I  preached  for  him 
morning  and  afternoon  ;  and  we  administered  the  sacra- 
ment to  about  thirteen  hundred  persons.  While  we 
were  administering,  I  heard  a  low,  soft,  solemn  sound, 
just  like  that  of  an  ^olian  harp.  It  continued  five  or 
six  minutes,  and  so  affected  many,  that  they  could  not 
refrain  from  tears.  It  then  gradually  died  away.  Strange 
that  no  other  organist  (that  I  know)  should  think  of 


438  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1782 

this.  In  the  evening  I  preached  at  our  room.  Here 
was  that  harmony  which  art  cannot  imitate. 

Tues.  May  14. — Some  years  ago  four  factories  for 
spinning  and  weaving  were  set  up  at  Epworth.  In  these 
a  large  number  of  young  women,  and  boys  and  girls, 
were  employed.  The  whole  conversation  of  these  was 
profane  and  loose  to  the  last  degree.  But  some  of  these 
stumbling  in  at  the  prayer-meeting  were  suddenly  cut  to 
the  heart.  These  never  rested  till  they  had  gained  their 
companions.  The  whole  scene  was  changed.  In  three 
of  the  factories,  no  more  lewdness  or  profaneness  were 
found;  for  God  had  put  a  new  song  in  their  mouth, 
and  blasphemies  were  turned  to  praise.  Those  three  I 
visited  to  day,  and  found  religion  had  taken  deep  root  in 
them.  No  trifling  word  was  heard  among  them,  and 
they  watch  over  each  other  in  love.  I  found  it  exceeding 
good  to  be  there,  and  we  rejoiced  together  in  the  God  of 
our  salvation. 

Fri.  31. — As  I  lodged  with  Lady  Maxwell  at  Saugh ton- 
hall  (a  good  old  mansion-house,  three  miles  from  Edin- 
burgh), she  desired  me  to  give  a  short  discourse  to  a  few 
of  her  poor  neighbours.  I  did  so,  at  four  in  the  afternoon, 
on  the  story  of  Dives  and  Lazarus.  About  seven  I 
preached  in  our  house  at  Edinburgh,  and  fully  delivered 
my  own  soul. 

Sat.  June  i. — I  spent  a  little  time  with  forty  poor 
children,  whom  Lady  Maxwell  keeps  at  school.  They 
are  swiftly  brought  forward  in  reading  and  writing,  and 
learn  the  principles  of  religion.  But  I  observe  in  them 
all  the  love  of  finery.  Be  they  ever  so  poor,  they  must 
have  a  scrap  of  finery.  Many  of  them  have  not  a  shoe 
to  their  foot  :  but  the  girl  in  rags  is  not  without  her 
ruffles. 

Sun.  2. — Mr.  Collins  intended  to  have  preached  on 


July  1782  WESLEY  FALLS  DOWNSTAIRS  439 


the  Castle- hill  at  twelve  o'clock ;  but  the  dull  minister 
kept  us  in  the  kirk  till  past  one.  At  six  the  house  was 
well  filled:  and  I  did  not  shun  to  declare  the  whole  counsel 
of  God.  I  almost  wonder  at  myself.  I  seldom  speak 
anywhere  so  roughly  as  in  Scotland.  And  yet  most  of 
the  people  hear  and  hear,  and  are  just  what  they  were 
before. 

"Wesley  Enters  His  80th  Year 
Sat.  15  (Kelso). — As  I  was  coming  down  stairs,  the 
carpet  slipped  from  under  my  feet,  which,  I  know  not 
how,  turned  me  round,  and  pitched  me  back,  with  my 
head  foremost,  for  six  or  seven  stairs.  It  was  impossible 
to  recover  myself  till  I  came  to  the  bottom.  My  head 
rebounded  once  or  twice  from  the  edge  of  the  stone 
stairs.  But  it  felt  to  me  exactly  as  if  I  had  fallen  on  a 
cushion  or  a  pillow.  Dr.  Douglas  ran  out,  sufficiently 
affrighted.  But  he  needed  not.  For  I  rose  as  well  as 
ever ;  having  received  no  damage,  but  the  loss  of  a  little 
skin  from  one  or  two  of  my  fingers.  Doth  not  God 
give  his  angels  charge  over  us,  to  keep  us  in  all 
our  ways  ? 

Wed.  26. — I  preached  at  Thirsk ;  Thursday,  27,  at 
York.  Friday,  28.  I  entered  into  my  eightieth  year ; 
but,  blessed  be  God,  my  time  is  not  "labour  and 
sorrow."  I  find  no  more  pain  or  bodily  infirmities  than 
at  five-and-twenty.  This  I  still  impute,  i.  To  the 
power  of  God,  fitting  me  for  what  He  calls  me  to.  2. 
To  my  still  travelling  four  or  five  thousand  miles  a 
year.  3.  To  ray  sleeping,  night  or  day,  whenever  I 
want  it.  4.  To  my  rising  at  a  set  hour.  And,  5.  To 
my  constant  preaching,  particularly  in  the  morning. 

Sat.  July  6. — I  came  to  Birmingham,  and  preached 
once  more  in  the  old,  dreary  preacning-house. 


440  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        July  1782 

Sun.  7. — I  opened  the  new  house  at  eight,  and  it 
contained  the  people  well:  but  not  in  the  evening; 
many  were  then  constrained  to  go  away.  In  the  middle 
of  the  sermon,  a  huge  noise  was  heard,  caused  by  the 
breaking  of  a  bench  on  which  some  people  stood. 
None  of  them  was  hurt ;  yet  it  occasioned  a  general 
panic  at  first :  but  in  a  few  minutes  all-was  quiet. 

Sun.  14. — I  heard  a  sermon  in  the  old  church,  at 
Birmingham,  which  the  preacher  uttered  with  great 
vehemence  against  these  "  hairbrained,  itinerant  enthu- 
siasts." But  he  totally  missed  his  mark ;  having  not 
the  least  conception  of  the  persons  whom  he  undertook 
to  describe. 

No  Repose  for  Wesley 

Wed.  17. — I  went  on  to  Leicester;  Thursday,  18, 
to  Northampton;  and  Friday,  19,  to  Hinxworth,  in 
Hertfordshire.  Adjoining  to  Miss  Harvey's  house  is  a 
pleasant  garden ;  and  she  has  made  a  shady  walk  round 
the  neighbouring  meadows.  How  gladly  could  I  repose 
awhile  here !  But  repose  is  not  for  me  in  this  world. 
In  the  evening  many  of  the  villagers  flocked  together, 
so  that  her  great  hall  was  well  filled.  I  would  fain  hope, 
some  of  them  received  the  seed  in  good  ground,  and 
will  bring  forth  fruit  with  patience. 

Sat.  20. — We  reached  London.  All  the  following 
week  the  congregations  were  uncommonly  large.  Wed- 
nesday, 24.  My  brother  and  I  paid  our  last  visit  to 
Lewisham,  and  spent  a  few  pensive  hours  with  the 
relict  of  our  good  friend,  Mr.  Blackwell.  We  took  one 
more  walk  round  the  garden  and  meadow,  which  he 
took  so  much  pains  to  improve.  Upwards  of  forty  years 
this  has  been  my  place  of  retirement,  when  I  could 
spare  two  or  three  days  from  London. 


Aug.  1782  HIGHWAYMEN  ON  THE  ROAD  441 

Tues.  Aug.  13. — Being  obliged  to  leave  London  a 
little  sooner  than  I  intended,  I  concluded  the  conference 
to-day ;  and  desired  all  our  brethren  to  observe  it  as 
day  of  solemn  thanksgiving.  At  three  in  the  afterno 
I  took  coach.  About  one  on  Wednesday  morning  we 
were  informed  that  three  highwaymen  were  on  the  road 
before  us,  and  had  robbed  all  the  coaches  that  had 
passed,  some  of  them  within  an  hour  or  two.  I  felt  no 
uneasiness  on  the  account,  knowing  that  God  would 
take  care  of  us  :  and  he  did  so  ;  for,  before  we  came  to 
the  spot,  all  the  highwaymen  were  taken ;  so  we  went 
on  unmolested,  and  early  in  the  afternoon  came  safe  to 
Bristol. 

Thur.  15. — I  set  out  for  the  west;  preached  at 
Taunton  in  the  evening ;  Friday  noon,  at  Collumpton ; 
and  in  the  evening,  at  Exeter. 

A  Chfistian  Bishop*s  Furniture 
Sun.  18. — I  was  much  pleased  with  the  decent  be- 
haviour of  the  whole  congregation  at  the  cathedral ;  as 
also  with  the  solemn  music  at  the  post-communion,  one 
of  the  finest  compositions  I  ever  heard.  The  bishop 
inviting  me  to  dinner,  I  could  not  but  observe,  i.  The 
lovely  situation  of  the  palace,  covered  with  trees,  and  as 
rural  and  retired  as  if  it  was  quite  in  the  country.  2. 
The  plainness  of  the  furniture,  not  costly  or  showy,  but 
just  fit  for  a  Christian  bishop.  3.  The  dinner  sufificient, 
but  not  redundant;  plain  and  good,  but  not  dehcate. 
4.  The  propriety  of  the  company — five  clergymen  and 
four  of  the  aldermen ;  and,  5.  The  genuine,  unaffected 
courtesy  of  ti.e  bishop,  who,  I  hope,  will  be  a  blessing  to 
his  whole  diocese. 

We  set  out  early  in  the  morning,  Monday,  19,  and  in 
the  afternoon  came  to  Plymouth.    I  preached  in  the 


442  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1783 

evening,  and  at  five  and  twelve  on  Tuesday,  purposing 
to  preach  in  the  square  at  the  Dock  in  the  evening ;  but 
the  rain  prevented.  However,  I  did  so  on  Wednesday 
evening.  A  Uttle  before  I  concluded,  the  commanding 
officer  came  into  the  square  with  his  regiment ;  but  he 
immediately  stopped  the  drums,  and  drew  up  all  his  men 
in  order  on  the  high  side  of  the  square.  They  were  all 
still  as  night ;  nor  did  any  of  them  stir,  till  I  had 
pronounced  the  blessing. 

**The  Tide  is  now  Turned*' 
1783.  Wed.  Jan.  i. — May  I  begin  to  live  to-day! 
Sunday,  5.  We  met  to  renew  our  covenant  with  God. 
We  never  meet  on  this  occasion  without  a  blessing ;  but 
I  do  not  know  that  we  had  ever  so  large  a  congregation 
before. 

Sun.  19. — I  preached  at  St.  Thomas's  churcji  in  the 
afternoon,  and  at  St.  Swithin's  in  the  evening.  The  tide 
is  now  turned ;  so  that  I  have  mor^  invitations  to 
preach  in  churches  than  I  can  accept  of.  i 

Fri.  Feb.  21. — At  our  yearly  meeting  for  that  purpose, 
we  examined  our  yearly  accounts,  and  found  the  money 
(just  answering  the  expense)  was  upwards  of  three 
thousand  pounds  a  year.  But  that  is  nothing  to  me : 
what  I  receive  of  it  yearly,  is  neither  more  nor  less  than 
thirty  pounds. 

Sun.  June  i. — I  was  refreshed  by  the  very  sight  ot 
the  congregation  at  the  new  chapel  (London).  Monday, 
2,  and  the  following  days,  I  employed  in  settling  my  busi- 
ness, and  preparing  for  my  little  excursion.  Wednes- 
day, II.  I  took  coach  with  Mr.  Brackenbury,  Broadbent, 
and  Whitfield ;  and  in  the  evening  we  reached  Harwich. 
I  went  immediately  to  Dr.  Jones,  who  received  me  in 
the  most  affectionate  manner.    About  nine  in  the  morn- 


June  1783  IN  ROTTERDAM  443 

ing  we  sailed,  and  at  nine  on  Friday,  13,  landed  at 
Helvoetsluys. 

"Wesley  Visits  Holland 

Here  we  hired  a  coach  for  Briel,  but  were  forced  to 
hire  a  waggon  also,  to  carry  a  box  which  one  of  us  could 
have  carried  on  his  shoulders.  At  Briel  we  took  a  boat 
to  Rotterdam.  We  had  not  been  long  there,  when  j\Ir. 
Bennet,  a  bookseller,  who  had  invited  me  to  his  house, 
called  upon  me.  But  as  Mr.  Loyal,  the  minister  of  the 
Scotch  congregation,  had  invited  me,  he  gave  up  his 
claim,  and  went  with  us  to  Mr.  Loyal's.  I  found  a 
friendly,  sensible,  hospitable,  and,  I  am  persuaded,  a 
pious  man.  We  took  a  walk  together  round  ihe  town, 
all  as  clean  as  a  gentleman's  parlour.  Many  of  the 
houses  are  as  high  as  those  in  the  main  street  at  Edin- 
burgh ;  and  the  canals,  running  through  the  chief  streets, 
make  them  convenient,  as  well  as  pleasant ;  bringing  the 
merchants'  goods  up  to  their  doors.  Stately  trees  grow 
on  all  their  banks.  The  whole  town  is  encompassed 
with  a  double  row  of  elms ;  so  that  one  may  walk  all 
round  it  in  the  shade. 

Sat.  14. — I  had  much  conversation  with  the  two 
English  ministers,  sensible,  well-bred,  serious  men. 
These,  as  weU  as  Mr.  Loyal,  were  very  willing  I  should 
preach  in  their  churches ;  but  they  thought  it  would  be 
best  for  me  to  preach  in  the  Episcopal  church.  By  our 
con\  crsing  freely  together,  many  prejudices  were  removed, 
and  all  our  hearts  seemed  to  be  united  together. 

In  the  evening  we  again  took  a  walk  round  the  town, 
and  I  observed,  i.  Many  of  the  houses  are  higher  than  most 
in  Edinburgh.  It  is  true  they  have  not  so  many  stories ; 
but  each  story  is  far  loftier.  2.  The  streets,  the  outside 
and  inside  of  their  houses  in  every  part,  doors,  windows, 


444  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1783 

well-staircases,  furniture,  even  floors,  are  kept  so  nicely 
clean  that  you  cannot  find  a  speck  of  dirt.  3.  There 
is  such  a  grandeur  and  elegance  in  the  fronts  of  the  large 
houses,  as  I  never  saw  elsewhere ;  and  such  a  profusion 
of  marble  within,  particularly  in  their  lower  floors  and 
staircases,  as  I  wonder  other  nations  do  not  imitate.  4. 
The  women  and  children  (which  I  least  of  all  expected) 
were  in  general  the  most  beautiful  I  ever  saw.  They 
were  surprisingly  fair,  and  had  an  inexpressible  air  of 
innocence  in  their  countenance.  5.  This  was  wonder- 
fully set  off  by  their  dress,  which  was  shiiplcx  muiidiiiis, 
plain  and  neat  in  the  highest  degree.  6.  It  has  lately 
been  observed,  that  growing  vegetables  greatly  resist 
putridity  :  so  there  is  an  use  in  their  numerous  rows  of 
trees  which  was  not  thought  of  at  first.  The  elms 
balance  the  canals,  preventing  the  putrefaction  which 
those  otherwise  might  produce. 

The  Reverent  Dutch 

One  little  circumstance  I  observed,  which  I  suppose 
is  peculiar  to  Holland :  to  most  chamber-windows  a 
looking-glass  is  placed  on  the  outside  of  the  sash,  so  as 
to  show  the  whole  street,  with  all  the  passengers.  There 
is  something  very  pleasing  in  these  moving  pictures.  Are 
they  found  in  no  other  country  ? 

Sun.  15. — The  Episcopal  church  is  not  quite  so  large 
as  the  chapel  in  West-street.  It  is  very  elegant  both 
without  and  within.  The  service  began  at  half-past  nine. 
Such  a  congregation  had  not  often  been  there  before.  I 
preached  on,  "  God  created  man  in  his  own  image."  The 
people  seemed,  "  all  but  their  attention,  dead."  In  the 
afternoon  the  church  was  so  filled  as  (they  informed 
me)  it  had  not  been  for  these  fifty  years.  I  preached  on, 
«' God  hath  given  us  eternal  life;  and  this  life  is  in  his 


Juke  1783    THE  CHARMS  OF  HOLLAND  4-t5 

Son."  I  believe  God  applied  it  to  many  hearts.  Were 
it  only  for  this  hour,  I  am  glad  I  came  to  Holland. 

One  thing  which  I  peculiarly  observed  was  this,  and 
the  same  in  all  the  churches  in  Holland  :  at  coming 
in,  no  one  looks  on  the  right  or  the  left  hand,  or  bows 
or  courtesies  to  any  one ;  but  all  go  straight  forward 
to  their  seats,  as  if  no  other  person  was  in  the  place. 
During  the  service,  none  turns  his  head  on  either  side,  or 
looks  at  anything  but  his  book  or  the  minister ;  and  in 
going  out,  none  take  notice  of  any  one,  but  all  go  straight 
forward  till  they  are  in  the  open  air. 

After  church  an  English  gentleman  invited  me  to 
his  countr)'  house,  not  half  a  mile  from  the  town.  I 
scarce  ever  saw  so  pretty  a  place.  The  garden  before 
the  house  was  in  three  partitions,  each  quite  different 
from  the  others.  The  house  lay  between  ims  and 
another  garden  (nothing  like  any  of  the  others),  from 
which  you  looked  through  a  beautiful  summer-house, 
washed  by  a  small  stream,  into  rich  pastures  filled 
with  cattle.  We  sat  under  an  arbour  of  stately  trees, 
between  the  front  and  the  back  gardens.  Here  were  four 
such  children  (I  suppose  seven,  six,  five,  and  three  years 
old)  as  I  never  saw  before  in  one  family ;  such  inex- 
pressible beauty  and  innocence  shone  together ! 

In  the  evening  I  attended  the  service  of  the  great 
Dutch  church,  as  large  as  most  of  our  cathedrals.  The 
organ  (like  those  in  all  the  Dutch  churches)  was 
elegantly  painted  and  gilded ;  and  the  tunes  that  were 
sung  were  very  Hvely,  and  yet  solemn. 

Mon.  16. — We  set  out  in  a  track-skuit  for  the  Hague. 
By  the  way  we  saw  a  curiosity ;  the  gallows  near  the 
canal,  surrounded  with  a  knot  of  beautiful  trees ;  so  the 
dying  man  will  have  one  pleasant  prospect  here,  what- 
ever befalls  him  hereafter !   At  eleven  we  came  to  De'ift, 


44.6  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1783 

a  large,  handsome  town,  where  we  spent  an  hour  at  a 
merchant's  house,  who,  as  well  as  his  wife,  a  very  agree- 
able woman,  seemed  both  to  fear  and  to  love  God. 
Afterwards  wev saw  the  great  church;  I  think  nearly,  if 
not  quite,  as  long  as  York  Minster.  It  is  exceedingly 
light  and  elegant  within,  and  every  part  is  kept  ex- 
quisitely clean.  The  tomb  of  William  the  First  is  much 
admired ;  particularly  his  statue,  which  has  more  life 
than  one  would  think  could  be  expressed  in  brass. 

The  Beautiful  Hague 

When  we  came  to  the  Hague,  though  we  had  heard 
much  of  it,  we  were  not  disappointed.  It  is,  indeed, 
beautiful  beyond  expression.  Many  of  the  houses  are 
exceeding  grand,  and  are  finely  intermixed  with  water 
and  wood ;  yet  are  not  too  close,  but  so  as  to  be  suffi- 
ciently ventilated  by  the  air. 

Being  invited  to  tea  by  Madam  de  Vassenaar  (one  of 
the  first  quality  in  the  Hague),  I  waited  upon  her  in  the 
afternoon.  She  received  us  with  that  easy  openness  and 
affability  which  is  almost  peculiar  to  Christians  and  per- 
sons of  quality.  Soon  after  came  ten  or  twelve  ladies 
more,  who  seemed  to  be  of  her  own  rank  (though 
dressed  quite  plain),  and  two  most  agreeable  gentlemen  ; 
one  of  whom,  I  afterwards  understood,  was  a  colonel  in 
the  Prince's  Guards.  After  tea  I  expounded  the  three 
first  verses  of  the  thirteenth  of  the  first  Epistle  to  the 
Corinthians.  Captain  M.  interpreted,  sentence  by  sen- 
tence. I  then  prayed,  and  Colonel  V.  after  me.  I  beHev2 
this  hour  was  well  employed. 

Tues.  17. — As  we  walked  over  the  Place  we  saw  the 
Swiss  Guards  at  their  exercise.  They  are  a  fine  body  of 
men,  taller,  I  suppose,  than  any  English  regiment ;  and 
they  all  wear  large  black  whiskers,  which  they  take  care 


June  1783  DUTCH  SINGING  44.7 

to  keep  as  black  as  their  boots.  Afterwards  we  saw  the 
gardens  at  the  Old  Palace,  beautifully  laid  out,  with  a 
large  piece  of  water  in  the  middle,  and  a  canal  at  each 
end :  the  open  walks  in  it  are  pleasant,  but  the  shady 
serpentine  walks  are  far  pleasanter. 

We  dined  at  Mrs.  L  's,  in  such  a  family  as  I 

have  seldom  seen.  Her  mother,  upwards  of  seventy, 
seemed  to  be  continually  rejoicing  in  God  her  Saviour : 
the  daughter  breathes  the  same  spirit ;  and  her  grand- 
children, three  little  girls  and  a  boy,  seem  to  be  all  love. 
I  have  not  seen  four  such  children  together  in  all 
England.  A  gentleman  coming  in  after  dinner,  I  found 
a  particular  desire  to  pray  for  him.  In  a  little  while  he 
melted  into  tears,  as  indeed  did  most  of  the  company. 

Wed.  18.  In  the  afternoon  Madam  de  Vassenaar 
invited  us  to  a  meeting  at  a  neighbouring  lady's  house. 
I  expounded  Gal.  vi.  14,  and  Mr.  M.  interpreted  as 
before. 

At  Leydcn  and  Amsterdam 

Thurs.  19. — We  took  boat  at  seven.  Mrs.  L.  and  one 
of  her  relations,  being  unwilling  to  part  so  soon,  bore 
us  company  to  Leyden  ;  a  large  and  populous  town,  but 
not  so  pleasant  as  Rotterdam.  In  the  afternoon  we 
went  on  to  Haerlem,  where  a  plain,  good  man  and  his 
wife  received  us  in  a  most  affectionate  manner.  At  six 
we  took  boat  again.  As  it  was  filled  from  end  to  end,  I 
was  afraid  we  should  not  have  a  very  pleasant  journey. 
After  Mr.  Ferguson  had  told  the  people  who  we  were, 
we  made  a  sHght  excuse,  and  sung  an  hymn.  They 
were  all  attention.  We  then  talked  a  little,  by  means  of 
our  interpreter,  and  desired  that  any  of  them  who  pleased 
would  sing.  Four  persons  did  so ;  and  sung  well.  After 
a  while  we  sung  again :  so  did  one  or  two  of  them ;  and 


448  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1783 

all  our  hearts  were  strangely  knit  together,  so  that  when 
we  came  to  Amsterdam  they  dismissed  us  with  abundance 
of  blessings. 

Fri.  20. — We  breakfasted  at  Mr.  Ferguson's,  near  the 
heart  of  the  city.  At  eleven  we  drank  coffee  (the  custom 
in  Holland)  at  Mr.  J  's,  a  merchant,  whose  dining- 
room  is  covered,  both  walls  and  ceiling,  with  the  most 
beautiful  paintings.-  He  and  his  lady  walked  with  us  in 
the  afternoon  to  the  Stadt-house ;  perhaps  the  grandest 
buildings  of  the  kind  in  Europe.  The  great  hall  is  a 
noble  room  indeed,  near  as  large  as  that  of  Christ-church 
in  Oxford.  But  I  have  neither  time  nor  inclination  to 
describe  particularly  this  amazing  structure. 

The  Warmly  Affectionate  Dutch 
Sun.  22. — I  went  to  the  new  church,  so  called  still, 
though  four  or  five  hundred  years  old.  It  is  larger, 
higher,  and  better  illuminated  than  most  of  our  cathe- 
drals. The  screen  that  divides  the  church  from  the 
choir  is  of  polished  brass,  and  shines  hke  gold.  I  under- 
stood the  Psalms  that  were  sung,  and  the  text  well,  and 
a  little  of  the  sermon  ;  which  Mr.  De  H.  delivered  with 
great  earnestness.  At  two  I  began  the  service  at  the 
English  church,  an  elegant  building,  about  the  size  of 
West-street  chapel.  Only  it  has  no  galleries ;  nor  have 
any  of  the  churches  in  Holland.  I  preached  on  Isaiah 
Iv.  6,  7  ;  and  I  am  persuaded  many  received  the  truth 
in  the  love  thereof. 

After  dinner  Mrs.  J          took  me  in  a  coach  to  the 

Mere,  and  thence  round  the  country  to  Zeeburg.  I 
never  saw  such  a  country  before  :  I  suppose  there  is  no 
such  summer  country  in  Europe.  From  Amsterdam  to 
Mere  is  all  a  train  of  the  most  delightful  gardens. 
Turning  upon  the  left,  you  then  open  upon  the  Texel, 


June  1783     THE  DUTCH  CHARACTER  419 

which  spreads  into  a  sea.  Zeeburg  itself  is  a  little  house 
built  on  the  edge  of  it,  which  commands  both  a  land 
and  a  sea  prospect.  What  is  wanting  to  make  the 
inhabitants  happy,  but  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God  ? 

Wed.  25. — We  took  boat  for  Haerlem.  The  great 
church  here  is  a  noble  structure,  equalled  by  few 
cathedrals  in  England,  either  in  length,  breadth,  or 
height :  the  organ  is  the  largest  I  ever  saw,  and  is  said  to 
be  the  finest  in  Europe.    Hence  we  went  to  Mr.  Van 

Ka  's,  whose  wife  was  convinced  of  sin  and  justified 

by  reading  Mr.  Whitefield's  sermons. 

Here  we  were  as  at  home.  Before  dinner  we  took  a 
walk  in  Haerlem  Wood,  It  adjoins  to  the  town,  and  is 
cut  out  in  many  shady  walks  ;  with  lovely  vistas  shooting 
out  every  way.  The  walk  from  the  Hague  to  Scheveling 
is  pleasant ;  those  near  Amsterdam  more  so ;  but  these 
exceed  them  all. 

We  returned  in  the  afternoon  to  Amsterdam  ;  and  in 
the  evening  took  leave  of  as  many  of  our  friends  as  we 
could.  How  entirely  were  we  mistaken  in  the  Hollanders, 
supposing  them  to  be  of  a  cold,  phlegmatic,  unfriendly 
temper  !  I  have  not  met  with  a  more  warmly  affectionate 
people  in  all  Europe  !  no,  not  in  Ireland  I 

"Wesley  at  Utrecht 

Thur.  26. — Our  friends  having  largely  provided  us 
with  wine  and  fruits  for  our  little  journey,  we  took  boat 
in  a  lovely  morning  for  Utrecht. 

Utrecht  has  much  the  look  of  an  English  town.  The 
streets  are  broad,  and  have  many  noble  houses.  In 
quietness  and  stillness  it  much  resembles  Oxford.  The 
country  all  round  is  like  a  garden :  and  the  people  I 
conversed  with  are  not  only  civil  and  hospitable,  but 
friendly  and  affectionate,  even  as  those  at  Amsterdam. 

2  F 


4.-0  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Dec.  1783 

Mon.  30. — We  hired  a  coach  for  Rotterdam,  at  half 
a  crown  per  head.  We  dined  at  Gouda,  at  Mr.  Van 
Flooten's,  minister  of  the  town,  who  received  us  with  all 
possible  kindness.  Before  dinner  we  went  into  the 
church,  famous  for  its  painted  windows  ;  but  we  had  not 
time  to  survey  a  tenth  part  of  them :  we  could  only 
observe,  in  general,  that  the  colours  were  exceeding 
lively,  and  the  figures  exactly  proportioned.  In  the 
evening  we  reached  once  more  the  hospitable  house  of 
Mr.  Loyal,  at  Rotterdam. 

Tues.  July  i. — I  called  on  as  many  as  I  could  of  my 
friends, and  we  parted  with  much  affection.  We  then  hired 
a  yacht,  which  brought  us  to  Helvoetsluys  about  eleven 
the  next  day.  At  two  we  went  on  board ;  but  the  wind 
turning  against  us,  we  did  not  reach  Harwich  till  about 
nine  on  Friday  morning.  After  a  little  rest,  we  procured 
a  carriage,  and  reached  London  about  eleven  at  night. 

Two  Hours  With  Df«  Johnson 

I  can  by  no  means  regret  either  the  trouble  or  expense 
which  attended  this  little  journey.  It  opened  me  a  way 
into,  as  it  were,  a  new  world ;  where  the  land,  the 
buildings,  the  people,  the  customs,  were  all  such  as  I 
had  never  seen  before.  But  as  those  with  whom  I  con- 
versed were  of  the  same  spirit  with  my  friends  in  England, 
I  was  as  much  at  home  in  Utrecht  and  Amsterdam,  as 
in  Bristol  and  London. 

Sun.  6. — We  rejoiced  to  meet  once  more  with  our 
English  friends  in  the  new  chapel ;  who  were  refreshed 
with  the  account  of  the  gracious  work  which  God  is 
working  in  Holland  also. 

Thur.  Dec.  18. — I  spent  two  hours  with  that  great 
man,  Dr.  Johnson,  who  is  sinking  into  the  grave  by  a 
gentle  decay. 


A  RIL1784.    PREACHING  AT  FIVE  A.M.  451 

Mon.  April  5. — I  was  surprised,  when  I  came  to 
Chester,  to  find  that  there  also  morning  preaching  was 
quite  left  off,  for  this  worthy  reason:  "Because  the 
people  will  not  come,  or,  at  least,  not  in  the  winter." 
If  so,  the  Methodists  are  a  fallen  people.  Here  is  proof. 
They  have  "  lost  their  first  love  "  :  and  they  never  will 
or  can  recover  it,  till  they  "  do  the  first  works." 

"Wesley  and  Early  Rising 
As  soon  as  I  set  foot  in  Georgia,  I  began  preaching 
at  five  in  the  morning  ;  and  every  communicant,  that  is, 
every  serious  person  in  the  town,  constantly  attended 
througliout  the  year  :  I  mean,  every  morning,  winter 
and  summer,  unless  in  the  case  of  sickness.  They  did 
so  till  I  left  the  province.  In  the  year  1738,  when  God 
began  his  great  work  in  England,  I  began  preaching  at 
the  same  hour,  winter  and  summer,  and  never  wanted  a 
congregation.  If  they  will  not  attend  now,  they  have 
lost  their  zeal ;  and  then,  it  cannot  be  denied,  they  are 
a  fallen  people. 

And,  in  the  mean  time,  we  are  labouring  to  secure 
the  preaching-houses  to  the  next  generation!  In  the 
name  of  God,  let  us,  if  possible,  secure  the  present 
generation  from  drawing  back  to  perdition  !  Let  all  the 
preachers  that  are  still  alive  to  God  join  together  as  one 
man,  fast  and  pray,  lift  up  their  voice  as  a  trumpet,  be 
instant,  in  season,  out  of  season,  to  convince  them  they 
are  fallen  ;  and  exhort  them  instantly  to  repent,  and  "  do 
the  first  works " :  this  in  particular — rising  in  the 
morning,  without  which  neither  their  souls  nor  bodies 
can  long  remain  in  health. 


452  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1784 

Mon.  19. — I  went  on  to  Ambleside  ;  where,  as  I  was 
sitting  down  to  supper,  I  was  informed,  notice  had  been 
given  of  my  preaching,  and  that  the  congregation  was 
waiting.  I  would  not  disappoint  them;  but  preached 
immediately  on  salvation  by  faith.  Among  them  were  a 
gentleman  and  his  wife,  who  gave  me  a  remarkable 
relation. 

Remarkable  Escape  from  Prison 

She  said  she  had  often  heard  her  mother  relate, 
what  an  intimate  acquaintance  had  told  her,  that  her 
husband  was  concerned  in  the  Rebellion  of  1745.  He 
was  tried  at  Carlisle,  and  found  guilty.  The  evening 
before  he  was  to  die,  sitting  and  musing  in  her  chair, 
she  fell  fast  asleep.  She  dreamed,  one  came  to  her,  and 
said,  "  Go  to  such  a  part  of  the'  wall,  and  among  the 
loose  stones  you  will  find  a  key,  which  you  must  carry 
to  your  husband."  She  waked;  but,  thinking  it  a 
common  dream,  paid  no  attention  to  it.  Presently  she 
fell  asleep  again,  and  dreamed  the  very  same  dream. 
She  started  up,  put  on  her  cloak  and  hat,  and  went  to 
that  part  of  the  wall,  and  among  the  loose  stones  found 
a  key.  Having,  with  some  difficulty,  procured  admission 
into  the  gaol,  she  gave  this  to  her  husband.  It  opened 
the  door  of  his  cell,  as  well  as  the  lock  of  the  prison 
door.    So  at  midnight  he  escaped  for  life. 

The  Banks  of  the  Spey 
Sat.  May  8. — We  reached  the  banks  of  the  Spey.  I 
suppose  there  are  few  such  rivers  in  Europe.  The 
rapidity  of  it  exceeds  even  that  of  the  Rhine  :  and  it  was 
now  much  swelled  with  melting  snow.  However,  we 
made  shift  to  get  over  before  ten;  and  about  twelve 
readied  Elgin.    Here  I  was  received  by  a  daughter  of 


May  1784      WESLEY  IN  SCOTLAND  453 

good  Mr.  Plenderleith,  late  of  Edinburgh ;  with  whom, 
having  spent  an  agreeable  hour,  I  hastened  toward 
Forres :  but  we  were  soon  at  full  stop  again ;  the  river 
Findhorn  also  was  so  swollen,  that  we  were  afraid  the 
ford  was  not  passable.  However,  having  a  good  guide, 
we  passed  it  without  much  difficulty.  I  found  Sir 
Lodowick  Grant  almost  worn  out.  Never  was  a  visit  more 
seasonable.  By  free  and  friendly  conversation  his  spirits 
were  so  raised,  that  I  am  in  hopes  it  will  lengthen  his  life. 

Sun.  9 — I  preached  to  a  small  company  at  noon,  on, 
"His  commandments  are  not  grievous."  As  I  was 
concluding,  Colonel  Grant  and  his  lady  came  in:  for 
whose  sake  I  began  again,  and  lectured,  as  they  call  it, 
on  the  former  part  of  the  fifieenth  chapter  of  St.  Luke. 
We  had  a  larger  company  in  the  afternoon,  to  whom  I 
preached  on  "judgment  to  come."  And  this  subject 
seemed  to  affect  them  most. 

Twelve  and  a  Half  Miles  in  Heavy  Rain 
Mon.  10. — I  set  out  for  Inverness.  I  had  sent  Mr. 
M'AlIum  before,  on  George  Whitfield's  horse,  to  give 
notice  of  my  coming.  Hereby  I  was  obliged  to  take  both 
George  and  Mrs.  M'AUum  with  me  in  my  chaise.  To 
ease  the  horses,  we  walked  forward  from  Nairn,  ordering 
Richard  to  follow  us,  as  soon  as  they  were  fed :  he  did 
so,  but  there  were  two  roads.  So,  as  we  took  one,  and 
he  the  other,  we  walked  about  twelve  miles  and  a  half  of 
the  way,  through  heavy  rain.  We  then  found  Richard 
waiting  for  us  at  a  little  ale-house,  and  drove  on  to 
Inverness.  But,  blessed  be  God,  I  was  no  more  tired 
than  when  I  set  out  from  Nairn.  I  preached  at  seven 
to  a  far  larger  congregation  than  I  had  seen  here  since  I 
preached  in  the  kirk.  And  surely  the  labour  was  not  in 
vain :  for  God  sent  a  message  to  many  hearts. 


454  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         May  1784 

Tues.  II. — Notwithstanding  the  long  discontinuance 
of  morning  preaching,  we  had  a  large  congregation  at 
five.  I  breakfasted  at  the  first  house  I  was  invited  to 
at  Inverness,  w^ere  good  Mr.  jNI'Kenzie  then  lived. 
His  three  daughters  live  in  it  now  ;  one  of  whom  inherits 
all  the  spirit  of  her  father.  In  the  afternoon  we  took  a 
walk  over  the  bridge,  into  one  of  the  pleasantest  countries 
I  have  seen.  It  runs  along  by  the  side  of  the  clear 
river,  and  is  well-cultivated  and  well- wooded.  And  here 
first  we  heard  abundance  of  birds,  welcoming  the  return 
of  spring.  The  congregation  was  larger  this  evening 
than  the  last :  and  great  part  of  them  attended  in  the 
morning.  We  had  then  a  solemn  parting,  as  we  could 
hardly  expect  to  meet  again  in  the  present  world. 

Incidents  in  Scotland 

Tues.  18. — I  preached  at  Dundee.  Wednesday,  19. 
I  crossed  over  the  pleasant  and  fertile  county  of  Fife,  to 
Melval-house,  the  grand  and  beautiful  seat  of  Lord 
Leven.  He  was  not  at  home,  being  gone  to  Edinburgh, 
as  the  King's  Commissioner ;  but  the  Countess  was,  with 
two  of  her  daughters,  and  both  her  sons-in-law.  At 
their  desire,  I  preached  in  the  evening,  on,  "  It  is 
appointed  unto  man  once  to  die  "  ;  and  I  believe  God 
made  the  application. 

Thur.  20. — It  blew  a  storm;  nevertheless,  with  some 
difficulty,  we  crossed  the  Queen's-ferry. 

Sat.  22  (Edinburgh). — A  famous  actress,  just  come 
down  from  London  (which,  for  the  honour  of  Scotland, 
is  just  during  the  sitting  of  the  Assembly),  stole  away  a 
great  part  of  our  congregation  to-night.  How  much 
wiser  are  these  Scots  than  their  forefatliers  ! 

Sun.  23. — I  went  in  the  morning  to  the  Tolbooth 
kirk ;  in  the  afternoon,  to  the  old  Episcopal  chapel.  But 


Aug.  1784        A  BUSY  WEEK  AT  81  455 

they  have  lost  their  glorying  :  they  talked,  the  moment 
service  was  done,  as  if  they  had  been  in  London.  In 
the  evening  the  Octagon  was  well  filled ;  and  I  applied, 
with  all  possible  plainness,  "  God  is  a  Spirit ;  and  they 
that  worship  him  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in 
truth." 

"Wesley  at  81 

Men.  June  28  (Epworth). — To-day  I  entered  on  my 
eighty-second  year,  and  found  myself  just  as  strong  to 
labour,  and  as  fit  for  any  exercise  of  body  or  mind,  as  I  was 
forty  years  ago.  I  do  not  impute  this  to  second  causes, 
but  to  the  Sovereign  Lord  of  all.  It  is  He  who  bids  the 
sun  of  life  stand  still,  so  long  as  it  pleaseth  him. 

I  am  as  strong  at  eighty-one,  as  I  was  at  twenty-one ; 
l)ut  abundantly  more  healthy,  being  a  stranger  to  the 
head-ache,  tooth-ache,  and  other  bodily  disorders  which 
attended  nie  in  my  youth.  We  can  only  say,  "The 
Lord  reigneth  !  "    While  we  live,  let  us  Hve  to  him  ! 

In  the  afternoon  I  went  to  Gainsborough,  and  willingly 
accepted  the  ofTer  of  Mr.  Dean's  chapel.  The  audience 
was  large  and  seemed  much  affected :  possibly  some 
good  may  be  done  even  at  Gainsborough !  Tuesday, 
29.  I  preached  in  the  street  at  Scotter,  to  a  large  and 
dee[)ly  attentive  congregation.  It  was  a  solemn  and 
comfortable  season.  In  the  evening  I  read  prayers  and 
preached  in  Owstone  church  ;  and  again  in  the  morning. 
Wednesday,  30.  In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Epworth. 
In  the  residue  of  the  week,  I  preached  morning  and 
evening  in  several  of  the  neighbouring  towns. 

Wed.  Aug.  18. — I  went  to  Admiral  Vaughan's,  at 
Tracoon,  one  of  the  pleasantest  seats  in  Great  Britain. 
The  house  is  embosomed  in  lofty  woods,  and  does  not 
appear  till  you  drop  down  upon  it.     The  Admiral 


456  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Nov.  1784. 

governs  his  family,  as  he  did  in  his  ship,  with  the  utmost 
punctuality.  The  bell  rings,  and  all  attend  without 
delay,  whether  at  meals,  or  at  morning  and  evening 
prayer.  I  preaqhed  at  seven,  on  Phil.  iii.  8 ;  and  spent 
the  evening  in  serious  conversation. 

Tues.  31. — Dr.  Coke,  Mr.  Whatcoat,  and  Mr.  Vasey, 
came  down  from  London,  in  order  to  embark  for 
America. 

Wed.  Sep.  i. — Being  now  clear  in  my  own  mind, 
I  took  a  step  which  I  had  long  weighed  in  my  mind, 
and  appointed  Mr.  Whatcoat  and  Mr.  Vasey  to  go  and 
serve  the  desolate  sheep  in  America.  Thursday,  2.  I 
added  to  them  three  more ;  which,  I  verily  believe,  will 
be  much  to  the  glory  of  God. 

Sun.  12. — Dr.  Coke  read  prayers,  and  I  preached,  in 
the  new  room.  Afterward  I  hastened  to  Kingswood, 
and  preached  under  the  shade  of  that  double  row  of 
trees  which  I  planted  about  forty  years  ago.  How  little 
did  any  one  then  think  that  they  would  answer  such  an 
intention !  The  sun  shone  as  hot  as  it  used  to  do  even 
in  Georgia ;  but  his  rays  could  not  pierce  our  canopy  ; 
and  our  Lord,  meantime,  shone  upon  many  souls,  and 
refreshed  them  that  were  weary. 

Burglary  at  Wesley's  House 
Sat.  Nov.  20  (London). — At  three  in  the  morning  two 
or  three  men  broke  into  our  house,  through  the  kitchen 
window.  Thence  they  came  up  into  the  parlour,  and 
broke  open  Mr.  Moore's  bureau,  where  they  found  two 
or  three  pounds :  the  night  before  I  had  prevented  his 
leaving  there  seventy  pounds,  which  he  had  just  received. 
They  next  broke  open  the  cupboard,  and  took  away 
some  silver  spoons.  Just  at  this  time  the  alarum,  which 
Mr.  Moore,  by  mistake,  had  set  for  half-past  three 


Jan.  178s     PREACHING  IN  NEWGATE  457 

(instead  of  four),  went  off,  as  it  usually  did,  with  a 
thundering  noise.  At  this  the  thieves  ran  away  with  all 
speed ;  though  their  work  was  not  half  done ;  and  the 
whole  damage  which  we  sustained  scarce  amounted  to 
six  pounds. 

Sun.  Dec.  26. — I  preached  the  condemned  criminals' 
sermon  in  Newgate.  Forty-seven  were  under  sentence 
of  death.  While  they  were  coming  in,  there  was  some- 
thing very  awful  in  the  clink  of  their  chains.  But  no 
sound  was  heard,  either  from  them  or  the  crowded 
audience,  after  the  text  was  named,  "  There  is  joy  in 
heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than  over 
ninety  and  nine  just  persons,  that  need  not  repentance." 
The  power  of  the  Lord  was  eminently  present,  and 
most  of  the  prisoners  were  in  tears.  A  few  days  after, 
twenty  of  them  died  at  once,  five  of  whom  died  in  peace. 
I  could  not  but  greatly  approve  of  the  spirit  and  be- 
haviour of  Mr.  Villette,  the  Ordinary ;  and  I  rejoiced  to 
hear  that  it  was  the  same  on  all  similar  occasions. 

Wesley  at  81  Begs  £200 
Fri.  31. — We  had  a  solemn  watch-night,  and  ushered 
in  the  new  year  with  the  voice  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving. 

1785.  Sat.  Jan.  i. — Whether  this  be  the  last  or  no, 
may  it  be  the  best  year  of  my  life  !  Sunday,  2.  A  larger 
number  of  people  were  present  this  evening  at  the  re- 
newal of  our  covenant  with  God,  than  was  ever  seer, 
before  on  the  occasion. 

Tues.  4. — At  this  season  we  usually  distribute  coals 
and  bread  among  the  poor  of  the  society.  But  I  now 
considered,  they  wanted  clothes,  as  well  as  food.  So 
on  this,  and  the  four  following  days  I  walked  through 
the  town,  and  begged  two  hundred  pounds,  in  order  to 


458  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  1785 

clothe  them  that  needed  it  most.  But  it  was  hard  work 
as  most  of  the  streets  were  filled  with  melting  snow, 
which  often  lay  ankle  deep ;  so  that  my  feet  were 
steeped  in  snow  water  nearly  from  morning  till  evening  : 
I  held  it  out  'pretty  well  till  Saturday  evening;  but  I 
was  laid  up  with  a  violent  flux,  which  increased  every 
hour,  till,  at  six  in  the  morning.  Dr.  Whitehead  called 
upon  me.  His  first  draught  made  me  quite  easy ;  and 
three  or  four  more  perfected  the  cure.  If  he  lives  some 
years,  I  expect  he  will  be  one  of  the  most  eminent  phy- 
sicians in  Europe. 

I  supposed  my  journeys  this  winter  had  been  over  ■ 
but  I  could  not  decline  one  more.  Monday,  17.  I  set 
out  for  poor  Colchester,  to  encourage  the  little  flock. 
They  had  exceeding  little  of  this  world's  goods,  but 
most  of  them  had  a  better  portion.  Tuesday,  18.  I  went 
on  to  Mistleythorn,  a  village  near  Manningtree.  Some 
time  since,  one  of  the  shipwrights  of  Deptford-yard,  being 
sent  hither  to  superintend  the  building  of  some  men-of- 
war,  began  to  read  sermons  on  a  Sunday  evening  in  his 
own  house.  Afterwards  he  exhorted  them  a  little, 
and  then  formed  a  little  society.  Some  time  after,  he 
begged  one  of  our  preachers  to  come  ever  and  help 
them.  I  now  found  a  lively  society,  and  one  of  the 
most  elegant  congregations  I  had  seen  for  many  years. 
Yet  they  seemed  as  willing  to  be  instructed,  as  if  they 
had  lived  in  Kingswood.  Wednesday,  19.  I  returned 
to  Colchester;  and  on  Thursday,  20,  preached  to  a 
lovely  congregation  at  Purflcet,  and  the  next  morning 
returned  to  London. 

Sun.  23. — I  preached  morning  and  afternoon  at  West- 
street,  and  in  the  evening  in  the  chapel  at  Knightsbridge: 
I  think  it  will  be  the  last  time ;  for  I  know  not  that 
I  have  ever  seen  a  worse-bcha\  cJ  congregation. 


Aug.  1785     AT  CARISBROOK  CASTLE  459 

Tues.  25. — I  spent  two  or  three  hours  m  the  House 
of  Lords.  I  had  frequently  heard  that  this  was  the  most 
venerable  assembly  in  England.  But  how  was  I  dis- 
appointed !    What  is  a  lord,  but  a  sinner,  born  to  die  ! 

Fifty  Years  Growth  of  Methodism 
Thurs.  March  24  (Worcester). — I  was  now  consider- 
ing how  strangely  the  grain  of  mustard-seed,  planted 
about  fifty  years  ago,  has  grown  up.  It  has  spread 
through  all  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  ;  the  Isle  of  Wight, 
and  the  Isle  of  Man ;  then  to  America,  from  the  Lee- 
ward Islands,  through  the  whole  continent,  into  Canada 
and  Newfoundland.  And  the  societies,  in  all  these  parts, 
walk  by  one  rule,  knowing  religion  is  holy  tempers ;  and 
striving  to  worship  God,  not  in  form  only,  but  likewise 
"  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 

Tues.  June  28. — By  the  good  providence  of  God,  I 
finished  the  eighty-second  year  of  my  age.  Is  anything 
too  hard  for  God  ?  It  is  now  eleven  years  since  I  have 
felt  any  such  thing  as  weariness  :  many  times  I  speak 
till  ray  voice  fails,  and  I  can  speak  no  longer ;  frequently 
I  walk  till  my  strength  fails,  and  I  can  walk  no  farther ; 
yet  even  then  I  feel  no  sensation  of  weariness,  but  am 
perfectly  easy  from  head  to  foot.  I  dare  not  impute  this 
to  natural  causes  :  it  is  the  will  of  God. 

Tues.  Aug.  9. — I  crossed  over  to  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
Here  also  the  work  of  God  prospers  :  we  had  a  comfort- 
able time  at  Newport,  where  is  a  very  teachable,  though 
uncommonly  elegant,  congregation.  Wednesday,  10.  We 
took  a  walk  to  the  poor  remains  of  Carisbrook-castle. 
It  seems  to  have  been  once  exceeding  strong,  standing 
on  a  steep  ascent.  But  even  what  little  of  it  is  left  is 
now  swiftly  running  to  ruin.  The  window,  indeed, 
through  which  King  Charles  attempted  to  make  his 


460  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        June  1786 

escape,  is  still  in  being ;  and  brought  to  my  mind  that 
whole  train  of  occurrences,  wherein  the  hand  of  God  was 
so  eminently  seen. 

Thur.  25. — About  nine  I  preached  at  Mousehole, 
where  there  is 'now  one  of  the  liveliest  societies  in  Corn- 
wall. Hence  we  went  to  the  Land's-end,  in  order  to 
which  we  clambered  down  the  rocks,  to  the  very  edge  of 
the  water;  and  I  cannot  think  but  the  sea  has  gained 
some  hundred  yards  since  I  was  here  forty  years  ago. 

"Wesley  Visits  the  House  of  Lords 
1786.  Mon.  Jan.  9. — At  leisure  hours  this  week,  I  read 
the  Life  of  Sir  William  Penn,  a  wise  and  good  man.  But 
I  was  much  surprised  at  what  he  relates  concerning  his  first 
wife;  who  lived,  I  suppose,  fifty  years,  and  said  a  little 
before  her  death,  "  I  bless  God,  I  never  did  anything 
wrong  in  my  life  !  "  Was  she  then  ever  convinced  of  sin  ? 
And  if  not,  could  she  be  saved  on  any  other  footing  than 
a  heathen  ? 

Tues.  24. — I  was  desired  to  go  and  hear  the  King 
deliver  his  speech  in  the  House  of  Lords.  But  how 
agreeably  was  I  surprised  !  He  pronounced  every  word 
with  exact  propriety.  I  much  doubt  whether  there  be 
any  other  king  in  Europe,  that  is  so  just  and  natural  a 
speaker. 

Wed.  June  28. — I  entered  into  the  eighty-third  year 
of  my  age.  I  am  a  wonder  to  myself.  It  is  now  twelve 
years  since  I  have  felt  any  such  sensation  as  weariness. 
I  am  never  tired  (such  is  the  goodness  of  God  ! )  either 
with  writing,  preaching,  or  travelling.  One  natural  cause 
undoubtedly  is,  my  continual  exercise  and  change  of  air. 
How  the  latter  contributes  to  health  I  know  not ;  but 
certainly  it  does. 


Oct.  1786  BUILDING  EXTRAORDINARY  401 

The  remainder  of  this  Journal  was  not  published  in 
Wesley's  lifetime  and  was  not  revised  by  him.  The  MS. 
was  "  so  ill  written  as  to  be  scarcely  legible." 

Tues.  Sept.  26. — Reached  London.  I  now  applied  ' 
myself  in  earnest  to  the  writing  of  Mr.  Fletcher's  Life, 
having  procured  the  best  materials  I  could.  To  this  I 
dedicated  all  the  time  I  could  spare,  till  November,  from 
five  in  the  morning  till  eight  at  night.  These  are  my 
studying  hours  ;  I  cannot  write  longer  in  a  day  without 
hurting  my  eyes. 

Wesley  Visits  Hatfield  House 
Mon.  Oct.  2. — I  went  to  Chatham,  and  had  much 
comfort  with  the  loving,  serious  congregation  in  the 
evening,  as  well  as  at  five  in  the  morning.  Tuesday,  3. 
We  then  ran  down,  with  a  fair,  pleisant  wind,  to  Sheer- 
ness.  The  preaching-house  here  is  now  finished,  but  by 
means  never  heard  of.  The  building  was  undertaken  a 
few  months  since,  by  a  little  handful  of  men,  without  any 
probable  means  of  finishing  it.  But  God  so  moved  the 
hearts  of  the  people  in  the  dock,  that  even  those  who 
do  not  pretend  to  any  religion,  carpenters,  shipwrights, 
labourers,  ran  up,  at  all  their  vacant  hours,  and  worked 
with  all  their  might,  without  any  pay.  By  this  means  a 
large  square  house  was  soon  elegantly  finished,  both 
within  and  without ;  and  it  is  the  neatest  building,  next 
to  the  new  chapel  in  London,  of  any  in  the  south  of 
England. 

Thurs.  19. — I  returned  to  London.  In  this  journey 
I  had  a  full  sight  of  Lord  Salisbury's  seat,  at  Hatfield. 
The  park  is  delightful.  Both  the  fronts  of  the  house  are 
very  handsome,  though  antique.  The  hall,  the  assembly- 
room,  and  the  gallery  are  grand  and  beautifuL  The 


462 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Jan.  17R7 


chapel  is  extremely  pretty  ;  but  the  furniture  in  general 
(excepting  the  pictures,  many  of  which  are  originals)  is 
just  such  as  I  should  expect  in  a  gentleman's  house  of 
five  hundred  a  year. 

Sat.  Dec.  23. — By  great  importunity  I  was  induced 
(having  Httle  hope  of  doing  good)  to  visit  two  of  the 
felons  in  Newgate,  who  lay  under  sentence  of  death. 
They  appeared  serious ;  but  I  can  lay  little  stress  on 
appearances  of  this  kind.  However,  I  wrote  in  their 
behalf  to  a  great  man ;  and  perhaps  it  was  in  conse- 
quence of  this  that  they  had  a  reprieve. 

Sun.  24. — I  was  desired  to  preach  at  the  Old  Jewry. 
But  the  church  was  cold,  and  so  was  the  congregation. 
We  had  a  congregation  of  another  kind  the  next  day, 
Christmas-day,  at  four  in  the  morning,  as  well  as  five  in 
the  evening  at  the  new  chapel,  and  at  West-street  chapel 
about  noon. 

"Wesley's  Threat  to  Deptford 
1787.  Mon.  Jan.  i. — We  began  the  service  at  four 
in  the  morning,  to  an  unusually  large  congregation.  We 
had  another  comfortable  opportunity  at  the  new  chapel 
at  the  usual  hour,  and  a  third  in  the  evening  at  West- 
street.  Tuesday,  2.  I  went  over  to  Deptford ;  but  it 
seemed,  I  was  got  into  a  den  of  lions.  Most  of  the 
leading  men  of  the  society  were  mad  for  separating  from 
the  Church.  1  endeavoured  to  reason  with  them,  but 
in  vain :  they  had  neither  good  sense  nor  even  good 
manners  left.  At  length,  after  meeting  the  whole  society, 
I  told  them,  "  If  you  are  resolved,  you  may  have  your 
service  in  church-hours ;  but,  remember,  from  that  time 
you  will  see  my  face  no  more."  This  struck  deep ;  and 
from  that  hour  I  have  heard  no  more  of  separating  from 
the  Church  1 


July  1787         WESLEY  IN  DUBLIN  4>6S 

Monday,  8,  and  the  four  following  days,  I  went  a 
begging  for  the  poor.  I  hoped  to  be  able  to  provide 
food  and  raiment  for  those  of  the  society  who  were  in 
pressing  want,  yet  had  no  weekly  allowance  :  these  were 
about  two  hundred  :  but  I  was  much  disappointed.  Six 
or  seven,  indeed,  of  our  brethren,  gave  ten  pounds 
apiece.  If  forty  or  fifty  had  done  this,  I  could  have 
carried  my  design  into  execution.  However,  much  good 
was  done  with  two  hundred  pounds,  and  many  sorrowful 
hearts  made  glad. 

"Wesley  Visits  the  Irish  Parliament  House 

Wed.  July  4. — I  spent  an  hour  at  the  New-Dargle,  a 
gentleman's  seat  four  or  five  miles  from  Dublin.  I  have 
not  seen  so  beautiful  a  place  in  the  kingdom.  It  equals 
the  Leasowes  in  Warwickshire ;  and  it  greatly  exceeds 
them  in  situation ;  all  the  walks  lying  on  the  side  of  a 
mountain,  which  commands  all  Dublin-bay,  as  well  as 
an  extensive  and  finely  varierjated  land-prospect.  A 
little  river  runs  through  it,  which  occasions  two  cascades, 
at  a  small  distance  from  each  other.  Although  many 
places  may  exceed  this  in  grandeur,  I  believe  none  can 
exceed  it  in  beauty. 

Afterwards  I  saw  the  Parliament-house.  The  House 
of  Lords  far  exceeds  that  at  Westminster;  and  the 
Lord-Lieutenant's  throne  as  far  exceeds  that  miserable 
throne  (so  called)  of  the  King  in  the  English  House  of 
Lords.  The  House  of  Commons  is  a  noble  room  in- 
deed. It  is  an  octagon,  wainscoted  round  with  Irish 
oak,  which  shames  all  mahogany,  and  galleried  all  round 
for  the  convenience  of  the  ladies.  The  Speaker's  chair 
is  far  more  grand  than  the  throne  of  the  Lord-Lieutenant. 
But  what  surprised  me  above  all,  were  the  kitchens  of  the 
House,  and  the  large  apparatus  for  good  eating.  Tables 


464  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1787 


were  placed  from  one  end  of  a  large  hall  to  the  other ; 
which,  it  seems,  while  the  Parliament  sits,  are  daily 
covered  with  meat  at  four  or  five  o'clock,  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  Members. 

Wed.  II. — At  five  I  took  an  affectionate  leave  of  this 
loving  (Irish)  people ;  and,  having  finished  all  my  busi- 
ness here,  in  the  afternoon  I  went  down  with  my  friends, 
having  taken  the  whole  ship,  and  went  on  board  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  one  of  the  Parkgate  packets.  At  seven 
we  sailed  with  a  fair,  moderate  wind.  Between  nine  and 
ten  I  lay  down,  as  usual,  and  slept  till  near  four,  when  I 
was  waked  by  an  uncommon  noise,  and  found  the  ship 
lay  beating  upon  a  large  rock,  about  a  league  from  Holy- 
head. The  captain,  who  had  not  long  lain  down,  leaped 
up  J  and,  running  upon  the  deck,  when  he  saw  how  the 
ship  lay,  cried  out,  "  Your  lives  may  be  saved,  but  I  am 
undone  ! "  Yet  no  sailor  swore,  and  no  woman  cried 
out.  We  immediately  went  to  prayer ;  and  presently  the 
ship,  I  know  not  how,  shot  off  the  rock,  and  pursued 
her  way,  without  any  more  damage  than  the  wounding 
a  few  of  her  outside  planks.  About  three  in  the  after- 
noon we  came  safe  to  Parkgate ;  and  in  the  evening 
went  on  to  Chester. 

A  Visit  to  the  Channel  Islands 
Mon.  Aug.  13. — We  set  out  from  Yarmouth  with  a 
fair  wind ;  but  it  soon  turned  against  us,  and  blew  so 
hard  that  in  the  afternoon  we  were  glad  to  put  in  at 
Swanage. 

Tues.  14. — Sailing  on,  with  a  fair  wind,  we  fully  ex- 
pected to  reach  Guernsey  in  the  afternoon ;  but  the  wind 
turning  contrary,  and  blowing  hard,  we  found  it  would 
be  impossible.  We  then  judged  it  best  to  put  in  at  the 
Isle  of  Alderney ;  but  we  were  very  near  being  ship- 


Aug.  1787  ON  THE  ISLE  OF  ALDERNEY  4G5 

wrecked  in  the  bay.  When  we  were  in  the  middle  of 
the  rocks,  with  the  sea  rippling  all  round  us,  the  wind 
totally  failed.  Had  this  continued,  we  must  have  struck 
upon  one  or  other  of  the  rocks ;  so  we  went  to  prayer, 
and  the  wind  sprung  up  instantly.  About  sunset  we 
landed ;  and,  though  we  had  five  beds  in  the  same  room, 
slept  in  peace. 

About  eight  I  went  down  to  a  convenient  spot  on  the 
beach,  and  began  giving  out  a  hymn.  A  woman  and  two 
little  children  joined  us  immediately.  Before  the  hymn 
was  ended,  we  had  a  tolerable  congregation  ;  all  of  whom 
behaved  well :  part,  indeed,  continued  at  forty  or  fifty 
yards'  distance ;  but  they  were  all  quiet  and  attentive. 

**A  Little  Circumstance** 

It  happened  (to  speak  in  the  vulgar  phrase)  that  three 
or  four  who  sailed  with  us  from  England,  a  gentleman, 
with  his  wife  and  sister,  were  near  relations  of  the 
Governor.  He  came  to  us  this  morning,  and,  when  I 
went  into  the  room,  behaved  with  the  utmost  courtesy. 
This  little  circumstance  may  remove  prejudice,  and 
make  a  more  open  way  for  the  Gospel. 

Soon  after  we  set  sail,  and,  after  a  very  pleasant  pas- 
sage, through  Httle  islands  on  either  hand,  we  came  to 
the  venerable  castle,  standing  on  a  rock,  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  Guernsey.  The  isle  itself  makes  a 
beautiful  appearance,  spreading  as  a  crescent  to  the  right 
and  left ;  about  seven  miles  long,  and  five  broad ;  part 
high  land,  and  part  low.  The  town  itself  is  boldly 
situated,  rising  higher  and  higher  from  the  water.  The 
first  thing  I  observed  in  it  was,  very  narrow  streets,  and 
exceeding  high  houses.  But  we  quickly  went  on  to  Mr. 
De  Jersey's,  hardly  a  mile  from  the  town.  Here  I  found 
a  most  cordial  welcome,  both  from  the  master  of  the 

2G 


466  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1787 


house,  and  all  his  family.  I  preached  at  seven,  in  a  large 
room,  to  as  deeply  serious  a  congregation  as  I  ever  saw. 

Thur.  16. — I  had  a  very  serious  congregation  at  five, 
in  a  large  room  of  Mr.  De  Jersey's  house.  His  gardens 
and  orchards  are  of  a  vast  extent,  and  wonderfully 
pleasant ;  and  I  know  no  nobleman  in  Great  Britain  that 
has  such  variety'  of  the  most  excellent  fruit ;  which  he  is 
every  year  increasing,  either  from  France  or  other  parts 
of  the  Continent.  What  quan  tity  of  fruit  he  has,  you  may 
conjecture  from  one  sort  only  : — this  summer  he  gathered 
fifty  pounds  of  strawberries  daily,  for  six  weeks  together. 

In  the  evening  I  preached  at  the  other  end  of  the 
town,  in  our  own  preaching-house.  So  many  people 
squeezed  in  (though  not  near  all  who  came),  that  it  was 
as  hot  as  a  stove.  But  this  none  seemed  to  regard  ;  for 
the  word  of  God  was  sharper  than  a  two-edged  sword. 

At  tHe  Governor's  House 
Fri.  17. — I  waited  upon  the  Governor,  and  spent  half 
an  hour  very  agreeably.  In  the  afternoon  we  took  a 
walk  upon  the  pier,  the  largest  and  finest  I  ever  saw. 
The  town  is  swiftly  increasing ;  new  houses  starting  up 
on  every  side. 

In  the  evening  I  did  not  attempt  to  go  into  the  house, 
but  stood  near  it,  in  the  yard,  surrounded  with  tall, 
shady  trees,  and  proclaimed  to  a  large  congregation,  "God 
is  a  Spirit;  and  they  that  worship  him  must  worship  him 
in  spirit  and  in  truth."  I  believe  many  were  cut  to  the 
heart  this  hour,  and  some  not  a  little  comforted. 

Sat.  18. — Dr.  Coke  and  I  dined  at  the  Governor's.  I 
was  well  pleased  to  find  other  company.  We  conversed 
seriously  for  upwards  of  an  hour,  with  a  sensible,  well- 
bred,  agreeable  man.  In  the  evening  I  preached  to  the 
largest  congregation  I  have  seen  here. 


Aug.  1787 


AT  ST.  HELIER 


467 


Sun.  19. — Joseph  Bradford  preached  at  six  in  the 
morning,  at  Montplaisir  les  Terres,  to  a  numerous  con- 
gregation. I  preached  at  half  an  hour  past  eight,  and 
the  house  contained  the  congregation.  At  ten  I  went  to 
the  French  church,  where  there  was  a  large  and  well- 
behaved  congregation.  At  five  we  had  the  largest  con- 
gregation of  all. 

"Because  I  have  Lived  so  Many  Years** 
Mon.  20. — We  embarked  between  three  and  four  in 
the  morning,  in  a  very  small,  inconvenient  sloop,  and 
not  a  swift  sailer;  so  that  we  were  seven  hours  in  sailing 
what  is  called  seven  leagues.  About  eleven  we  landed 
at  St.  Helier,  and  went  straight  to  Mr.  Brackenbury's 
house.  It  stands  very  pleasantly,  near  the  end  of  the 
town  ;  and  has  a  large,  convenient  garden,  with  a  lovely 
range  of  fruitful  hills,  which  rise  at  a  small  distance  from 
it.  I  preached  in  the  evening  to  an  exceeding  serious 
congregation,  on  Matt.  iii.  ult. :  and  almost  as  many 
were  present  at  five  in  the  morning ;  whom  I  exhorted 
to  go  on  to  perfection. 

Tues.  21. — We  took  a  walk  to  one  of  our  friends  in 
the  country.  Near  his  house  stood  what  they  call  the 
college.  It  is  a  free  school,  designed  to  train  up  children 
for  the  university ;  exceeding  finely  situated,  in  a  quiet 
recess,  surrounded  by  tall  woods.  Not  far  from  it  stands, 
on  the  top  of  a  high  hill  (I  suppose  a  Roman  mount), 
an  old  chapel,  believed  to  be  the  first  Christian  church 
which  was  built  in  the  island.  From  hence  we  had  a 
view  of  the  whole  island,  the  pleasantest  I  ever  saw  ;  as 
far  superior  to  the  Isle  of  Wight  as  that  is  to  the  Isle  of 
Man.  The  Uttle  hills,  almost  covered  with  large  trees, 
are  inexpressibly  beautiful :  it  seems  they  are  to  be 
equalled  in  the  Isle  of  Guernsey.    In  the  evening  I  was 


468  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1787 

obliged  to  preach  abroad,  on,  "Now  is  the  day  of  salvation." 
I  think  a  blessing  seldom  fails  to  attend  that  subject. 

Wed.  22. — In  the  evening,  the  room  not  containing 
the  people,  I  was  obliged  to  stand  in  the  yard.  I 
preached  on  Rom.  iii.  22,  23  ;  and  spoke  exceeding 
plain:  even  the  gentry  heard  with  deep  attention.  How 
little  does  God  turn  to  his  own  glory !  Probably  many 
of  these  flock  togetlier,  because  I  have  lived  so  many 
years.  And  perhaps  even  this  may  be  the  means  of 
their  living  for  ever. 

Detained  by  Contrafy  Winds 

Mon.  27. — Captain  Cabot,  the  master  of  a  Guernsey 
sloop,  called  upon  us  early  in  the  morning,  and  told  us, 
if  we  chose  to  go  that  way,  he  would  set  out  between 
five  and  six.  But  the  wind  being  quite  contrary,  we 
judged  it  best  to  wait  a  little  longer.  In  the  evening, 
being  appointed  to  preach  at  seven,  I  was  obliged  to 
preach  within.  We  were  extremely  crowded ;  but  the 
power  of  God  was  so  manifested  while  I  declared,  "  We 
preach  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified,"  that  we  soon 
forgot  the  heat,  and  were  glad  of  being  detained  a  little 
longer  than  we  intended. 

I  thought  when  I  left  Southampton,  to  have  been  there 
again  as  this  day  ;  but  God's  thoughts  were  not  as  my 
thoughts.  Here  we  are  shut  up  in  Jersey  ;  for  how  long 
we  cannot  tell.  But  it  is  all  well ;  for  thou,  Lord,  hast 
done  it. 

Tues.  28. — Being  still  detained  by  contrary  winds,  I 
preached  at  six  in  the  evening  to  a  larger  congregation 
than  ever,  in  the  assembly-room.  It  conveniently  con- 
tains five  or  six  hundred  people.  Most  of  the  gentry 
were  present  ;  and  I  believe  felt  that  God  was  there  in 
an  uncommon  degree.    Being  still  detained,  I  preached 


Dec.  1787  WESLEY  SITS  TO  A  PAINTER  469 


there  again  the  next  evening,  to  a  larger  congregation 
than  ever.  I  now  judged,  I  had  fully  delivered  my  own 
soul :  and  in  the  morning,  the  wind  serving  for  Guernsey, 
and  not  for  Southampton,  I  returned  thither  not  unwil- 
lingly ;  since  it  was  not  by  my  choice,  but  by  the  clear 
providence  of  God  :  for  in  the  afternoon  I  was  offered 
the  use  of  the  assembly-room ;  a  spacious  chamber  in 
ihe  market-place,  which  would  contain  thrice  as  many  as 
our  former  room.  I  willingly  accepted  the  offer,  and 
preached  at  six  to  such  a  congregation  as  I  had  not  seen 
here  before;  and  the  word  seemed  to  sink  deep  into 
their  hearts.    I  trust  it  will  not  return  empty. 

Tues.  Sept,  4. — The  storm  continued,  so  that  we 
could  not  stir.  I  took  a  walk  to-day,  through  what  is 
called  the  New-ground,  where  the  gentry  are  accustomed 
to  walk  in  the  evening.  Both  the  upper  ground,  which 
is  as  level  as  a  bowling-green,  and  the  lower,  which  is 
planted  with  rows  of  trees,  are  wonderfully  beautiful.  In 
the  evening  I  fully  delivered  my  own  soul,  by  showing  what 
it  is  to  build  upon  a  rock.  But  still  we  could  not  sail;  the 
wind  being  quite  contrary,  as  well  as  exceeding  high. 

Sails  for  Penzance 
It  was  the  same  on  Wednesday.  In  the  afternoon 
we  drank  tea  at  a  friend's,  who  was  mentioning  a 
captain  just  come  from  France,  that  proposed  to  sail  in 
the  morning  for  Penzance;  for  which  the  wind  would 
serve,  though  not  for  Southampton.  In  this  we  plainly 
saw  the  hand  of  God ;  so  we  agreed  with  him  im- 
mediately; and  in  the  morning,  Thursday,  6,  went  on 
board  with  a  fair,  moderate  wind ;  but  we  had  but  just 
entered  the  ship  when  the  wind  died  away.  We  cried  to 
God  for  help  ;  and  it  presently  sprung  up,  exactly  fair, 
and  it  did  not  cease  till  it  brought  us  into  Penzance  bay. 


470 


WESLEY'S  JOURNAL       April  1788 


Sat.  Dec.  22. — I  yielded  to  the  importunity  of  a 
painter,  and  sat  an  hour  and  a  half,  in  all,  for  my  picture. 
I  think  it  was  the  best  that  was  ever  taken;  but  what  is 
the  picture  of  a  man  above  fourscore  ? 

Wesley  on  His  Old  Age 
Sat.  March  i. — (Being  Leap-year.)  I  considered, 
what  difference  do  I  find  by  an  increase  of  years  ?  I 
find,  I.  Less  activity;  I  walk  slower,  particularly  up- 
hill: 2.  My  memory  is  not  so -quick  :  3.  I  cannot  read 
so  quick  by  candle-light.  But  I  bless  God,  that  all  my 
other  powers  of  body  and  mind  remain  just  as  they  were. 

Sat.  April  19. — We  went  on  to  Bolton,  where  I 
preached  in  the  evening  in  one  of  the  most  elegant  houses 
in  the  kingdom,  and  to  one  of  the  liveliest  congre- 
gations. And  this  I  must  avow,  there  is  not  such  a  set 
of  singers  in  any  of  the  Methodist  congregations  in 
the  three  kingdoms.  There  cannot  be;  for  we  have 
near  a  hundred  such  trebles,  boys  and  girls,  selected  out 
of  our  Sunday-schools,  and  accurately  taught,  as  are  not 
found  together  in  any  chapel,  cathedral,  or  music-room 
within  the  four  seas.  Besides,  the  spirit  with  which  they 
all  sing,  and  the  beauty  of  many  of  them,  so  suits  the 
melody,  that  I  defy  any  to  exceed  it;  except  the  singing 
of  angels  in  our  Father's  house. 

Sun.  20. — At  eight,  and  at  one,  the  house  was 
thoroughly  filled.  About  three  I  met  between  nine  hun- 
dred and  a  thousand  of  the  children  belonging  to  our 
Sunday-schools.  I  never  saw  such  a  sight  before.  They 
were  all  exactly  clean,  as  well  as  plain,  in  their  apparel. 
All  were  serious  and  well-behaved.  Many,  both  boys 
and  girls,  had  as  beautiful  faces  as,  I  believe,  England 
or  Europe  can  afford.  When  they  all  sung  together, 
and  none  of  them  out  of  tune,  the  melody  was  beyond 


June  1788   WESLEY  AT  EIGHTY-FOUR 


471 


that  of  any  theatre ;  and,  what  is  the  best  of  all,  many 
of  them  truly  fear  God,  and  some  rejoice  in  his  salvation. 
These  are  a  pattern  to  all  the  town.  Their  usual  diver- 
sion is  to  visit  the  poor  that  are  sick  (sometimes  sLx,  or 
eight,  or  ten  together),  to  exhort,  comfort,  and  pray  with 
them.  Frequently  ten  or  more  of  them  get  together  to 
sing  and  pray  by  themselves ;  sometimes  thirty  or  forty ; 
and  are  so  earnestly  engaged,  alternately  singing,  praying 
and  crying,  chat  they  know  not  how  to  part.  You  chil- 
dren that  hear  this,  why  should  not  you  go  and  do  like- 
wise ?  Is  not  God  here  as  well  as  at  Bolton  ?  Let 
God  arise  and  maintain  his  own  cause,  even  "  out  of 
the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  I  " 

Wesley's  Reasons  for  His  Long  Life 
Sat.  June  28. — I  this  day  enter  on  my  eighty-fifth 
year  :  and  what  cause  have  I  to  praise  God,  as  for  a 
thousand  spiritual  blessings,  so  for  bodily  blessings  also  ! 
How  little  have  I  suifered  yet  by  "  the  rush  of  numerous 
years !  "  It  is  true,  I  am  not  so  agile  as  I  was  in  times 
past  I  do  not  run  or  walk  so  fast  as  I  did ;  ray  sight 
is  a  little  decayed ;  my  left  eye  is  grown  dim,  and  hardly 
serves  me  to  read;  I  have  daily  some  pain  in  the  ball  of 
my  right  eye,  as  also  in  my  right  temple  (occasioned  by 
a  blow  received  some  months  since),  and  in  my  right 
shoulder  and  arm,  which  I  impute  partly  to  a  sprain, 
and  partly  to  the  rheumatism. 

I  find  Ukewise  some  decay  in  my  memory,  with  regard 
to  names  and  things  lately  past ;  but  not  at  all  with  regard 
to  what  I  have  read  or  heard  twenty,  forty,  or  sixty  years 
agoj  neither  do  I  find  any  decay  in  my  hearing,  smell, 
taste,  or  appetite  (though  I  want  but  a  third  part  of  the 
food  I  did  once);  nor  do  I  feel  any  such  thing  as  weariness, 
either  in  travelling  or  preaching  :  and  I  am  not  conscious 


472  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         June  1788 

of  any  decay  in  writing  sermons  ;  which  I  do  as  readily, 
and  I  behave  as  correctly,  as  ever. 

To  what  cause  can  I  impute  this,  that  I  am  as  I  am  ? 
First,  doubtless,  to  the  power  of  God,  fitting  me  for  the 
work  to  which  I  am  called,  as  long  as  he  pleases  to  con- 
tinue me  therein;  and,  next,  subordinately  to  this,  to 
the  prayers  of  his  children. 

May  we  not  impute  it  as  inferior  means, 

1.  To  my  constant  exercise  and  change  of  air  ? 

2.  To  my  never  having  lost  a  night's  sleep,  sick  or 
well,  at  land  or  at  sea,  since  I  was  born  ? 

3.  To  my  having  sleep  at  command ;  so  that  when- 
ever I  feel  myself  almost  worn  out,  I  call  it,  and  it 
conies,  day  or  night  ? 

4.  To  my  having  constantly,  for  above  sixty  years, 
risen  at  four  in  the  morning  ? 

5.  To  my  constant  preaching  at  five  in  the  morning, 
for  above  fifty  years  ? 

6.  To  my  having  had  so  little  pain  in  my  life;  and 
so  little  sorrow,  or  anxious  care  ? 

Even  now,  though  I  find  pain  daily  in  my  eye,  or 
temple,  or  arm ;  yet  it  is  never  violent,  and  seldom  lasts 
many  minutes  at  a  time. 

Whether  or  not  this  is  sent  to  give  me  warning  that 
I  am  shortly  to  quit  this  tabernacle,  I  do  not  know  ;  but 
be  it  one  way  or  the  other,  I  have  only  to  say, 

My  remnant  of  days 

I  spend  to  his  praise 
Who  died  the  whole  world  to  redeem  : 

Be  they  many  or  few, 

My  days  are  his  due, 
And  they  all  are  devoted  to  Him  I 

I  preached  in  the  morning  on  Psalm  xc.  12;  in  the 
evening  on  Acts  xiii.  40,  41 ;  and  endeavoured  to  im 
prove  the  hours  between  to  the  best  advantage. 


July  1788       WESLEY'S  PERPLEXITY  473 

Sun.  29. — At  eight  I  preached  at  Misterton,  as  usual; 
about  one  to  a  numerous  congregation  at  Newby,  near 
Haxey;  and  about  four  at  my  old  stand  in  Epworth 
market-place,  to  the  great  congregation. 

Sun.  July  6. — I  came  to  Epworth  before  the  church 
service  began ;  and  was  glad  to  observe  the  seriousness 
with  which  Mr.  Gibson  read  prayers,  and  preached  a  plain 
useful  sermon ;  but  was  sorry  to  see  scarce  twenty  com- 
municants, half  of  whom  came  on  my  account.  I  was 
informed  likewise,  that  scarce  fifty  persons  used  to  at- 
tend the  Sunday  service.  What  can  be  done  to  remedy 
this  sore  evil  ? 

**"What  is  to  be  Done?** 

I  fain  would  prevent  the  members  here  from  leaving 
the  Church ;  but  I  cannot  do  it.  As  Mr.  G.  is  not  a 
pious  man,  but  rather  an  enemy  to  piety,  who  frequently 
preaches  against  the  truth,  and  those  that  hold  and  love 
it,  I  cannot  with  all  my  influence  persuade  them  either 
to  hear  him,  or  to  attend  the  sacrament  administered  by 
him.  If  I  cannot  carry  this  point  even  while  I  live, 
who  then  can  do  it  when  I  die  ?  And  the  case  of 
Epworth  is  the  case  of  every  church  where  the  minister 
neither  loves  nor  preach  the  Gospel.  The  Methodists 
will  not  attend  his  ministrations.  What  then  is  to  be 
done? 

At  four  I  preached  in  the  market-place,  on  Rom.  vi. 
23  ;  and  vehemently  exhorted  the  listening  multitude  to 
choose  the  better  part. 

Mon.  7. — Having  taken  leave  of  this  afTectionate 
people,  probably  for  the  last  time,  I  went  over  to  Fin- 
ningley ;  and  preached  at  eleven,  on  that  verse  in  the 
second  lesson,  Luke  xix.  42.  After  dinner  we  walked 
over  Mr.  H.'s  domain,  the  like  to  which  I  never  saw  in 


474  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL         Aug.  1788 


so  small  a  compass.  It  contains  a  rabit-warren,  deer, 
swans,  pheasants  in  abundance,  besides  a  fish-pond  and 
an  elegant  garden.  Variety  indeed !  But  is  there  no 
danger  that  sych  a  multitude  of  things  should  divert 
the  mind  from  the  "  one  thing  needful  ?  " 

An  Important  Conference 

I  preached  at  the  new  chapel  (London)  every  evening 
during  the  conference,  which  continued  nine  days,  be- 
ginning on  Tuesday,  July  29,  and  ending  on  Wednesday, 
August  6  :  and  we  found  the  time  little  enough ;  being 
obliged  to  pass  over  many  things  very  briefly,  which 
deserved  a  fuller  consideration. 

Sun.  Aug.  3. — I  preached  at  the  new  chaapel,  so  filled 
as  it  scarce  ever  was  before,  both  morning  and  evening. 

Mon.  4.  At  five  we  had  a  good  evening  congregation  ; 
and  I  believe  many  felt  the  power  of  the  word;  or, 
rather,  of  God,  speaking  therein. 

One  of  the  most  important  points  considered  at  this 
conference,  was  that  of  leaving  the  Church.  The  sum 
of  a  long  conversation  was,  x.  That,  in  a  course  of  fifty 
years,  we  had  neither  piemeditately  nor  wilHngly  varied 
from  it  in  one  article  either  of  doctrine  or  discipline. 
2.  That  we  were  not  yet  conscious  of  varying  from  it 
in  any  point  of  doctrine.  3.  That  we  have  in  a  course 
of  years,  out  of  necessity,  not  choice,  slowly  and  warily 
varied  in  some  points  of  discipline,  by  preaching  in  the 
fields,  by  extemporary  prayer,  by  employing  lay  preachers, 
bv  forming  and  regulating  societies,  and  by  holding 
yearly  conferences.  But  we  did  none  of  these  things  till 
we  were  convinced  we  could  no  longer  omit  them,  but 
at  the  peril  of  our  souls. 

Wed.  6. — Our  conference  ended,  as  it  began,  in 
great  peace.    We  kept  this  day  as  a  fast,  meeting  at 


Dec.  1788      WESLEY  IN  HIGHGATE  475 

five,  nine,  and  one,  for  prayer ;  and  concluding  the  day 
with  a  solemn  watch-night. 

The  three  following  days  I  retired,  revised  my  papers, 
and  finished  all  the  work  I  had  to  do  in  London. 

Sun.  10.  I  was  engaged  in  a  very  unpleasing  work; 
the  discharge  of  an  old  servant.  She  had  been  my 
housekeeper  at  West-street  for  many  years,  and  was  one 
of  the  best  housekeepers  I  had  had  there;  but  her  husband 
was  so  notorious  a  drunkard,  that  I  could  not  keep  them 
in  the  house  any  longer.  She  received  her  dismission  in 
an  excellent  spirit,  praying  God  to  bless  us  all. 

I  preached  in  the  morning  at  West-street  to  a  large 
congregation,  but  to  a  far  larger  at  the  new  chapel  in 
the  evening.  It  seems  the  people  in  general  do  not 
expect  that  I  shall  remain  among  them  a  great  while 
after  my  brother ;  and  that,  therefore,  they  are  willing 
to  hear  while  they  can.  In  the  evening  we  set  out  in  the 
mail  coach,  and  early  in  the  morning  got  to  Portsmouth. 

Sat.  Sept.  6. — I  walked  over  to  Mr.  Henderson's,  at 
Hannam,  and  thence  to  Bristol.  But  my  friends,  more 
kind  than  wise,  would  scarce  suffer  it.  It  seemed  so 
sad  a  thing  to  walk  five  or  six  miles !  I  am  ashamed, 
that  a  Methodist  preacher,  in  tolerable  health,  should 
make  any  difficulty  of  this. 

**The  Gentle  Steps  of  Age** 
Mon.  Dec.  15. — In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Miss 
Teulon's  school  in  Highgate.  I  think  it  was  the  coldest 
night  I  ever  remember.  The  house  we  were  in  stood  on 
the  edge  of  the  hill,  and  the  east  wind  set  full  in  the 
window.  I  counted  eleven,  twelve,  one,  and  was  then 
obliged  to  dress,  the  cramp  growing  more  and  more 
violent.  But  in  the  morning,  not  only  the  cramp  was 
gone,  but  likewise  the  lameness  which  used  to  follow  it. 


476  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  Jan.  1789 

About  this  time  I  was  reflecting  on  the  gentle  steps 
whereby  age  steals  upon  us.  Take  only  one  instance. 
Four  years  ago  my  sight  was  as  good  as  it  was  at  five- 
and-twenty.  I  then  began  to  observe  that  I  did  not  see 
things  quite  so  clear  with  my  left  eye  as  with  my  right; 
all  objects  appeared  a  little  browner  to  that  eye.  I 
began  next  to  find  some  difficulty  in  reading  a  small 
print  by  candle-light.  A  year  after,  I  found  it  in 
reading  such  a  print  by  day-light.  In  winter,  1786,  I 
could  not  well  read  our  four-shilling  hymn-book,  unless 
with  a  large  candle;  the  next  year  I  could  not  read 
letters,  if  wrote  with  a  small  or  bad  hand.  Last  winter 
a  pearl  appeared  on  my  left  eye,  the  sight  of  which  grew 
exceeding  dim.  The  right  eye  seems  unaltered;  only  I 
am  a  great  deal  nearer  sighted  than  ever  I  was.  Thus 
are  "  those  that  look  out  at  the  windows  darkened " ; 
one  of  the  marks  of  old  age.  But  I  bless  God,  "  the 
grasshopper  is"  not  "a  burden."  I  am  still  capable  of 
travelling,  and  my  memory  is  much  the  same  as  ever  it 
was ;  and  so,  I  think,  is  my  understanding. 

Wesley  Sits  to  Romney 
1789.    Thur.  Jan.  i. — If  this  is  to  be  the  last  year  of 
my  life,  according  to  some  of  those  prophecies,  I  hope 
it  will  be  the  best.     I  am  not  careful  about  it,  but 
heartily  receive  the  advice  of  the  angel  in  Milton, — 

"How  well  is  thine  :  how  long  permit  to  Heaven." 

Mon.  5. — At  the  earnest  desire  of  Mrs.  T  ,  I 

once  more  sat  for  my  picture.  Mr.  Romney  is  a  painter 
mdeed.  He  struck  off  an  exact  likeness  at  once  ;  and 
did  more  in  one  hour  than  Sir  Joshua  did  in  ten. 

Fri.  9. — I  left  no  money  to  any  one  in  my  will, 
because  I  had  none.    But  now  considering,  that,  when- 


April  1789  WESLEY  ANTICIPATES  DEATH  477 


ever  I  am  removed,  money  will  soon  arise  by  the  sale 
of  books,  I  added  a  few  legacies  by  a  codicil,  to  be  paid 
as  soon  as  may  be.  But  I  would  fain  do  a  little  good 
while  I  live;  for  who  can  tell  what  will  come  after 
him  ? 

Tues.  13. — I  spent  a  day  or  two  with  my  good  old 
friends  at  Newington.  Thursday,  15.  I  retired  to 
Camberwell,  and  carried  on  my  Journal,  probably  as 
far  as  I  shall  live  to  write  it. 

Tues.  20. — I  retired  in  order  to  finish  my  year's 
accounts.  If  possible,  I  must  be  a  better  economist ; 
for  instead  of  having  anything  beforehand,  I  am  now 
considerably  in  debt:  but  this  I  do  not  like,  I  would 
fain  settle  even  my  accounts  before  I  die. 

"Wesley  Explains  Methodism  ^ 
Sunday,  March  i,  was  a  solemn  day  indeed.  The 
new  chapel  was  sufficiently  crowded  both  morning  and 
afternoon ;  and  few  that  expected  a  parting  blessing, 
were  disappointed  of  their  hope.  At  seven  in  the 
evening  I  took  the  mail-coach  ;  and  having  three  of  our 
brethren,  we  spent  a  comfortable  night,  partly  in  sound 
sleep,  and  partly  in  singing  praise  to  God.  It  will  now 
quickly  be  seen  whether  they  who  prophesied  some  time 
since,  that  I  should  not  outlive  this  month,  be  sent  of 
God  or  not.  One  way  or  the  other,  it  is  my  care  to  be 
always  ready. 

April  12  (Dublin). — (Being  Easter-day.)  We  had  a 
solemn  assembly  indeed  ;  many  hundred  communicants 
in  the  morning  ;  and  in  the  afternoon  far  more  hearers 
than  our  room  would  contain,  though  it  is  now  con- 
siderably enlarged.  Afterwards  I  met  the  society,  and 
explained  to  them  at  large  the  original  design  of  the 
Methodists,  namely,  not  to  be  a  distinct  party,  but  to 


478  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Aug.  1789 

stir  up  all  parties,  Christians  or  heathens,  to  worship 
^  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth  ;  but  the  Church  of  England  in 
particular  ;  to  which  they  belonged  from  the  beginning. 
With  this  view'I  have  uniformly  gone  on  for  fifty  years, 
never  varying  from  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  at  all ; 
nor  from  her  discipline,  of  choice,  but  of  necessity :  so, 
in  a  course  of  years,  necessity  was  laid  upon  me  (as  I 
have  proved  elsewhere),  i.  To  preach  in  the  open  air. 
2.  To  pray  extempore.  3.  To  form  societies.  4.  To 
accept  of  the  assistance  of  lay  preachers  :  and,  in  a  few 
other  instances,  to  use  such  means  as  occurred,  to 
prevent  or  remove  evils  that  we  either  felt  or  feared. 

"Wesley  Describes  Himself  at  Eighty-ftve 

Sun.  June  28. — In  the  conclusion  of  the  morning 
service,  we  had  a  remarkable  blessing :  and  the  same  in 
the  evening,  moving  the  whole  congregation  as  the  heart 
of  one  man. 

This  day  I  enter  on  my  eighty-sixth  year.  I  now 
find  I  grow  old :  i.  My  sight  is  decayed ;  so  that  I 
cannot  read  a  small  print,  unless  in  a  strong  light.  2. 
My  strength  is  decayed ;  so  that  I  walk  much  slower 
than  I  did  some  years  since,  3.  My  memory  of  names, 
whether  of  persons  or  places,  is  decayed ;  till  I  stop  a 
httle  to  recollect  them.  What  I  should  be  afraid  of,  is, 
if  I  took  thought  for  the  morrow,  that  my  body  should 
weigh  down  my  mind ;  and  create  either  stubbornness, 
by  the  decrease  of  my  understanding ;  or  peevishness, 
by  the  increase  of  bodily  infirmities  :  but  Thou  shalt 
answer  for  me,  O  Lord  my  God. 

Sat.  Aug.  8. — I  settled  all  my  temporal  business,  and, 
in  particular,  chose  a  new  person  to  prepare  the  Arminian 
Magazine ;  being  obliged,  however  unwillingly,  to  drop 
Mr.  O  ,  for  only  these  two  reasons:  i.  The  errata 


Painted  in  1789  by  William  Uamilton,  R.  A. 
(The  original  is  now  in  National  Portrait  Qallery) 
REV.  JOHN  WESLEY,  A.  M. 


Aug.  1789  WESLEY'S  BAD  SUB-EDITOR  479 

are  unsufferable;  I  have  borne  them  for  these  twelve 
years,  but  can  bear  them  no  longer.  2.  Several  pieces 
are  inserted  without  my  knowledge,  both  in  prose  and 
verse.  I  must  try  whether  these  things  cannot  be 
amended  for  the  short  residue  of  my  life. 

**How  Is  the  Tide  Turned** 
Mon.  17. — In  the  afternoon,  as  we  could  not  pass  by 
the  common  road,  we  procured  leave  to  drive  round  by 
some  fields,  and  got  to  Falmouth  in  good  time.  The 
last  time  I  was  here,  about  forty  years  ago,  I  was  taken 
prisoner  by  an  immense  mob,  gaping  and  roaring  like 
lions :  but  how  is  the  tide  turned  1  High  and  low  now 
lined  the  street,  from  one  end  of  the  town  to  the  other, 
out  of  stark  love  and  kindness,  gaping  and  staring  as  if 
the  King  were  going  by.  In  the  evening  I  preached  on 
the  smooth  top  of  the  hill,  at  a  small  distance  from  the 
sea,  to  the  largest  congregation  I  have  ever  seen  in 
Cornwall,  except  in  or  near  Redruth.  And  such  a  time 
I  have  not  known  before,  since  I  returned  from  Ireland. 
God  moved  wonderfully  on  the  hearts  of  the  people, 
who  all  seemed  to  know  the  day  of  their  visitation. 

Wed.  19. — I  preached  at  noon  in  the  high  street  in 
Helstone,  to  the  largest  and  most  serious  congregation 
which  I  ever  remember  to  have  seen  there.  Thursday, 
20.  I  went  on  to  St.  Just,  and  preached  in  the  evening 
to  a  lovely  congregation,  many  of  whom  have  not  left 
their  first  love.  Friday,  21.  About  eleven  I  preached 
Newlyn,  and  in  the  evening  at  Penzance ;  at  both  places 
I  was  obliged  to  preach  abroad.  Saturday,  22.  I 
crossed  over  to  Redruth,  and  at  six  preached  to  a  huge 
multitude,  as  usual,  from  the  steps  of  the  market-house. 
The  ward  seemed  to  sink  deep  into  every  heart.  I  know 
not  that  ever  I  spent  such  a  week  in  Cornwall  before. 


480  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Dec.  1789 

Sun.  23. — I  preached  there  again  in  the  morning, 
and  in  the  evening  at  the  amphitheatre;  I  suppose,  for 
the  last  time ;  for  my  voice  cannot  now  command  the 
still  increasing,  multitude.  It  was  supposed  they  were 
now  more  than  five-and-twenty  thousand.  I  think  it 
scarce  possible  that  all  should  hear. 

Thurs.  Oct.  8. — I  am  now  as  well,  by  the  good 
providence  of  God,  as  I  am  likely  to  be  while  I  live. 
My  sight  is  so  decayed  that  I  cannot  well  read  by 
candle-light ;  but  I  can  write  as  well  as  ever  :  and  my 
strength  is  much  lessened,  so  that  I  cannot  easily  preach 
above  twice  a  day.  But,  I  bless  God,  my  memory  is 
not  much  decayed ;  and  my  understanding  is  as  clear  as 
it  has  been  these  fifty  years. 

Wesley's  Eighty-sixth  Christmas 
Fri.  Dec.  25. — (Being  Christmas-day.)  We  began 
the  service  in  the  new  chapel  at  four  o'clock,  as  usual ; 
where  I  preached  again  in  the  evening,  after  having 
officiated  in  West-street  at  the  common  hour.  Sunday, 
27.  I  preached  in  St.  Luke's,  our  parish  church,  in  the 
afternoon,  to  a  very  numerous  congregation,  on,  "  The 
Spirit  and  the  Bride  say.  Come."  So  are  the  tables 
turned,  that  I  have  now  more  invitations  to  preach  in 
churches  than  I  can  accept  of. 

Mon.  2  8. — I  retired  to  Peckham  ;  and  at  leisure  hours 
read  part  of  a  very  pretty  trifle — the  Life  of  Mrs.  Bellamy. 
Surely  never  did  any,  since  John  Dryden,  study  more 

To  make  vice  pleasing,  and  damnation  shine, 

than  this  lively  and  elegant  writer.  Abundance  of 
anecdotes  she  inserts,  which  may  be  true  or  false.  One 
of  them,  concerning  Mr.  Garrick,  is  curious.  She 
say»,  "When  he  was   taking    ship  for  England,  a 


June  1790  GARRICK  AND  WESLEY'S  HYMNS  4S1 

lady  presented  him  with  a  parcel,  which  she  desired 
him  not  to  open  till  he  was  at  sea.  When  he  did, 
he  found  Wesley's  Hymns,  which  he  immediately 
threw  overboard."  I  cannot  believe  it.  I  think  Mr.  G. 
had  more  sense.  He  knew  my  brother  well ;  and  he 
knew  him  to  be  not  only  far  superior  in  learning,  but  in 
poetry,  to  Mr.  Thomson,  and  all  his  theatrical  writers 
put  together :  none  of  them  can  equal  him,  either  in 
strong,  nervous  sense,  or  purity  and  elegance  of  language. 
The  musical  compositions  of  his  sons  are  not  more 
excellent  than  the  poetical  ones  of  their  father. 

Thur.  31. — I  preached  at  the  new  chapel;  but,  to 
avoid  the  cramp,  went  to  bed  at  ten  o'clock.  I  was 
well  served.  I  know  not  that  I  ever  before  felt  so  much 
of  it  in  one  night. 

The  Last  Year  of  the  Journal 

1790.  Fri.  Jan.  i. — I  am  now  an  old  man,  decayed 
from  head  to  foot.  My  eyes  are  dim;  my  right  hand 
shakes  much  ;  my  mouth  is  hot  and  dry  every  morning  ; 
I  have  a  lingering  fever  almost  every  day ;  my  motion  is 
weak  and  slow.  However,  blessed  be  God,  I  do  not 
slack  my  labour :  I  can  preach  and  write  still. 

Sun.  17. — In  the  afternoon  I  preached  in  Great  St. 
Helen's,  to  a  large  congregation.  It  is,  I  believe,  fifty 
years  since  I  preached  there  before.  What  has  God 
wrought  since  that  time  ! 

Tues.  Feb.  23. — I  submitted  to  importunity,  and 
once  more  sat  for  my  picture.  I  could  scarce  believe 
myself ; — the  picture  of  one  in  his  eighty-seventh  year  1 

Mon.  June  28. — This  day  I  enter  into  my  eighty- 
eighth  year.  For  above  eighty-six  years,  I  found  none 
of  the  infirmities  of  old  age ;  my  eyes  did  not  wax  dim, 
neither  was  my  natural  strength  abated  :  but  last  August 

2  H 


482  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Sept.  1790 

I  found  almost  a  sudden  change.  My  eyes  were  so 
dim,  that  no  glasses  would  help  me.  My  strength 
likewise  quite  forsook  me ;  and  probably  will  not  return 
in  this  world.  'But  I  feel  no  pain  from  head  to  foot ; 
only  it  seems  nature  is  exhausted;  and,  humanly 
speaking,  will  sink  more  and  more,  till 

The  weary  springs  of  life  stand  still  at  last. 

Thur.  July  i. — I  went  to  Lincoln.  After  dinner  we 
took  a  walk  in  and  around  the  Minster;  which  I  really 
think  is  more  elegant  than  that  at  York,  in  various  parts 
of  the  structure,  as  well  as  in  its  admirable  situation. 
The  new  house  was  thoroughly  filled  in  the  evening,  and 
with  hearers  uncommonly  serious.  There  seems  to  be  a 
remarkable  difference  between  the  people  of  Lincoln,  and 
those  of  York.  They  have  not  so  much  fire  and  vigour 
of  spirit;  but  far  more  mildness  and  gentleness;  by 
means  of  which,  if  they  had  the  same  outward  helps,  they 
would  probably  excel  their  neighbours. 

A  Backsliding  Innkeeper 

Some  miles  short  of  Lincoln,  our  post-boy  stopped  at 
an  inn  on  the  road,  to  give  his  horses  a  little  water.  As 
soon  as  we  went  in,  the  innkeeper  burst  into  tears,  as 
did  his  wife ;  wringing  her  hands,  and  weeping  bitterly. 
"What!"  he  said,  "are  you  come  into  my  house! 
My  father  is  John  Lester,  of  Epworth."  I  found  both 
he  and  his  wife  had  been  of  our  society,  till  they  left 
them.  We  spent  some  time  in  prayer  together ;  and  I 
trust  not  in  vain. 

Sat.  Sept.  4. — I  went  on  to  Bath,  and  preached  in 
the  evening  to  a  serious,  but  small  congregation,  for 
want  of  notice. 

Sua.  5.  At  tea  we  had  a  numerous  congregation,  and 


Oct.  1790  CONDEMNS  PREACHING  THRICE  483 

more  communicants  than  ever  I  saw  here  before.  This 
day  I  cut  off  that  vile  custom,  I  know  not  when  or 
how  it  began,  of  preaching  three  times  a  day,  by  the 
same  preacher  to  the  same  congregation ;  enough  to 
weary  out  both  the  bodies  and  minds  of  the  speaker, 
as  well  as  his  hearers.  Surely  God  is  returning  to  this 
society  !  They  are  now  in  earnest  to  make  their  calling 
and  election  sure. 

**  I  Am  Become  an  Honourable  Man  ** 

Mon.  Oct.  II. — I  went  (from  London)  to  Colchester, 
and  still  found  matter  of  humiliation.  The  society 
was  lessened,  and  cold  enough ;  preaching  again  was 
discontinued,  and  the  spirit  of  Methodism  quite  gone, 
both  from  the  preachers  and  the  people  :  yet  we  had 
a  wonderful  congregation  in  the  evening,  rich  and  poor, 
clergy  and  laity.  So  we  had  likewise  on  Tuesday 
evening.  So  that  I  trust  God  will  at  length  build  up 
the  waste  places. 

Wed.  13. — We  set  out  early,  but  found  no  horses  at 
Cobdock;  so  that  we  were  obliged  to  go  round  by 
Ipswich,  and  wait  there  half  an  hour.  Nevertheless,  we 
got  to  Norwich  between  two  and  three. 

In  the  evening  I  preached  at  Norwich  ;  but  the  house 
would  in  no  wise  contain  the  congregation.  How 
wonderfully  is  the  tide  turned  I  I  am  become  an 
honourable  man  at  Norwich.  God  has  at  length  made 
our  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  us ;  and  scarce  any  but 
Antinomians  open  their  mouth  against  us. 

Thur.  14. — I  went  to  Yarmouth  ;  and,  at  length, 
found  a  society  in  peace,  and  much  united  together.  In 
the  evening  the  congregation  was  too  large  to  get  in  10 
the  preaching-house;  yet  they  were  far  less  noisy  than 
usual.    After  supper  a  little  company  went  to  prayer, 


484  WESLEY'S  JOURNAL        Oct.  1796 

and  the  power  of  God  fell  upon  us  ;  especially  when  a 
young  woman  broke  out  into  prayer,  to  the  surprise  and 
comfort  of  us  all. 

Fri.  15.  I  went  to  Lowestoft,  to  a  steady,  loving, 
well-united  society.  The  more  strange  it  is,  that  they 
neither  increase  nor  decrease  in  number. 

Sat.  16.  I  preached  at  Loddon  about  one;  and  at 
six  in  Norwich. 

Sun.  17.  At  seven  I  administered  the  Lord's  supper 
to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons,  near  twice  as 
many  as  we  had  last  year. 

'WesleY*s  Last  Entries 

Mon.  18. — No  coach  going  out  for  Lynn  to-day,  I  was 
obliged  to  take  a  post-chaise.  But  at  Dereham  no 
horses  were  to  be  had ;  so  we  were  obliged  to  take  the 
same  horses  to  Swaffham.  A  congregation  was  ready 
here,  that  filled  the  house,  and  seemed  quite  ready  to 
receive  instruction. 

But  here  neither  could  we  procure  any  post-horses ; 
so  that  we  were  obliged  to  take  a  single-horse  chaise. 
The  wind,  with  mizzling  rain,  came  full  in  our  faces :  and 
we  had  nothing  to  screen  us  from  it ;  so  that  I  was 
throughly  chilled  from  head  to  foot  before  I  came  to 
Lynn.  But  I  soon  forgot  this  little  inconvenience ;  for 
which  the  earnestness  of  the  congregation  made  me 
large  amends. 

Tues.  19. — In  the  evening  all  the  Clergymen  in  the 
town,  except  one,  who  was  lame,  were  present  at  the 
preaching.  They  are  all  prejudiced  in  favour  of  the 
Methodists ;  as  indeed  are  most  of  the  townsmen  ;  who 
give  a  fair  proof  by  contributing  so  much  to  our  Sunday- 
schools  ;  so  that  there  is  near  twenty  pounds  in  hand. 

Wed.  20. — I  had  appointed  to  preach  at  Diss;  a 


WESLEY'S  MEMORIAL  IN  WESTMINSTER  ABBEY 


Oct.  I790    WESLEY'S  JOURNAL  CEASES  485 

town  near  Scoleton ;  but  the  difficulty  was,  where  I 
could  preach.  The  minister  was  willing  I  should  preach 
in  the  church  ;  but  feared  offending  the  bishop,  who, 
going  up  to  London,  was  within  a  few  miles  of  the 
town.  But  a  gentleman  asking  the  bishop  whether 
he  had  any  objection  to  it,  was  answered,  "  None  at  all." 
I  think  this  church  is  one  of  the  largest  in  this  county. 
I  suppose  it  has  not  been  so  filled  these  hundred  years. 
This  evening  and  the  next  I  preached  at  Bury,  to  a 
deeply  attentive  congregation,  many  of  whom  know  in 
whom  they  have  believed.  So  that  here  we  have  not 
lost  all  our  labour. 

Fri.  2  2. — We  returned  to  London. 

Sun.  24. — I  explained,  to  a  numerous  congregation 
in  Spitalfields  church,  "  the  whole  armour  of  God." 
St.  Paul's,  Shadwell,  was  still  more  crowded  in  the  after- 
noon, while  I  enforced  that  important  truth,  "  One  thing 
is  needful";  and  I  hope  many,  even  then,  resolved  to 
choose  the  better  paJt. 


INDEX 


Aberdare,  Visits  to,  167,  178 
Aberdeen 

ministers,  encouragement  of 

Methodism  by,  294 
Old  Aberdeen,  invitation  to 
preach  at,  274 
pleaching  in  college  kirk, 
339.  355.  375 
preaching-house,  erection  of, 
311 

society,    commendation  of, 

338.  355 
visits  to,  274,  375,  408 
Aberdeen  University,  410 
Ab=rgavenny,  field  preaching  at, 
63 

Accidents  to  Wesley 

driving,  368,  403,  416 
escapes  from,  298,  326,  395, 

424 
falls,  19s,  439 

riding,  58,  62,  107,  154,  156, 
178,  250,  305,  321,  360 
Accounts 

Societies,  Methodist,  see  that 
title 

Wesley's,  393,  477 
Age,  Wesley's,  allusions  to,  358, 
365.  392.  396,  410. 418,  428,  437, 
439.  455.  459.  460, 468,  470,  471, 
476,  478,  480,  481 
Aghrim,  preaching  at,  384 
Aidrich's  "  Logic,"  translation  of, 

179 
Alnwick 

apprenticeship  customs  at,  209 
preaching  at,  173,  196,  255, 
306,  377 
Alston,  preaching  at,  350 
Albtone  Moor,  wanderings  on,  174 
Ambleside,  visits  to,  338,  452 
America 

journeyings  in,  10,  13,  15,  25 
Methodism  in,  459 

appointment  of  ministers 
for  work  in,  456 


America 

Methodism  in 

money  and  preachers, 

offers  of,  347 
progress  of  work,  350 
statistics,  x.xxii 
voyage  to,  3,  4,  27 

life  on  s.s."  Simnionds,"3 
storms,  see  that  title 
see  also  Georgia  and  Savannah 
American  Independence,  War  of 
"  Calm  Address  to  the  Ameri- 
can Colonies,''  403' 
charity  sermon  for  widows 
and  orplians  of  British  sol- 
diers fallen  in,  404 
Amsterdam,  impressions  of,  448 
Anabaptists 

Cheltenham,  minister's  oppo- 
sition at,  335 
preaching  to, 
Annesley,  Dr.,  60 
Apparitions,    Glasgow  sexton's 
story,  331 
su  also  Dreams 
Apples  and  apple-tea,  cure  for 

quinsey,  159 
Arbroath 

Abbey  ruins,  visit  to,  355 
freedom  of,  Wesley's  pusen- 

tation  with,  376 
reformation  erlected  at,  376 
Armagh,  Archbishop's  improve- 
ments at,  389 
Army,  the,  and  Wesley 

Cork    Barracks,    defence  of 
Methodist  1  reachers  at,  106 
Fort  George,  otiicers'  imita- 
tion to  Wesley  at,  354 
Holyliead,  attacks  of  ouice.s 
at,  181 

Portsmouth    Camp,  vacant 

chaplaincy  at,  425 
pii aching,  attendance  of  sol- 
diers at 
Athlone,  17a 


488 


INDEX 


Army,  the,  and  Wesley 

preaching,  attendance  of  sol- 
diers at 
Canterbury,  226,  227,  261 
Clonmel,  233 
Dover,  226,  332 
Durham  Mili(ia,  341 
Kinsale,  186,  202 
Nenagh,  169 
Plymouth  Dock,  443 
wickedness  in,  170,  202 

Newcastle,  Wesley's  offer 
of  services  at,  144 

Arrests 

of  Methodist  preachers,  see 

that  title 
of  Wesley 

at  Edinburgh,  394 
St.  Just,  130 
Savannah,  18 
Tolcarn,  threatened  arrest 
at,  136 
Art,  criticisms  on,  370 
Ashburton,  preaching  to  unruly 

mob  at,  326 
Ashkayton,  visit  to  ruins  at,  364 
Assaults  on  Wesley 
resistance  to,  127 
see  also  Mobbing 
Astronomy,  views  on,  262,  320 
Athlone 

conduct  in  church,  influence 

of  Methodists  on,  288 
preaching  at,  157,  172 
welcome  by  Ijoys  at,  160 
Athol's,  Duke  of,  gardens,  visit  to, 
374 

Aurora  Borealis,  350 
Axminster,  preaching  at,  325 
Aymo,  refusal  of  admittance  to 
inn  at,  189 


Baildon,  preaching  at,  324 
Baldock,  storm  at,  147 
Baldon  Ferry,  passage  of,  230 
Ballibacferry,  accident  to  chaise 

at,  386 
Balliboy,  preaching  at,  160 
Balligarane,  visit  to,  364 
Balhnasloe,  preaching  at,  384 
Ballinrobe,  preacliing  at,  386 
Ballyrane,  visit  to,  385 
Bandon,  visits  to,  184,  185,  203, 

346 

Banff,  impressions  of,  408 
Bangor,  visit  to,  236 


Bankrupts,    exclusion    of,  from 

Metliodist  societies,  312 
Barley  Hall,  preaching  at,  282 
Barlow's,   Mr.,    Sermons,  com- 
ments on,  151 
Barnard's  Castle 

fast  day,  adoption  of,  296 
growth  of  Metliodism  at,  377 
preaching  at,  200,  341 
schoolfellow,  visit  to,  je«  Char- 
terhouse 

Barrowford,  escape  from  mob  at, 
162 

Basingstoke,  preaching  at,  47 
Bass  Rock,  visit  to,  376 
Bateman's,  Mr.,  house,  visit  to. 


ox,  roasting  whole,  429 
preaching  at,  48,  50,  59,  154, 
246,  300,  482 
Battersea,  preaching  at,  328 
"Baxter's  Life,"  comments  on, 215 
Bearfield,  preaching  at,  64 
Beau  Nash,  argument  with,  5a 
Bedford,  preaching  at,  248 
Bedfordshire,  tour  through,  393 
Bedminster,  field  preaching  at,  299 
Beecher's,  Alderman,  refusal  to 
admit  Wesley  to  condemned 
prisoners,  71 
Beercrocomb,  journey  to,  149 
Beergarrow,  preaching  at,  435 
Beggar  Settlement  near  Keith,  409 
Belfast,  visit  to,  391 
Belinger's,  Mr.,  hospitality,  14 
' '  Bellamy,  Mrs. ,  Life  of  " — com- 
ments on,  480 
Bennet,  J.,  association  with,  174 
Berkeley  Castle,  visit  to,  398 
Berwick,  visits  to,  173,  196,  306 
Bethnal  Green 

charity  sermon  for  widows 
and  orphans  of  British  sol- 
diers killed  in  American 
War,  404 
poverty  at,  412 
Beverley  Minster,' visit  to,  324 
Bigotry,   condemnation  of,  362, 
373 

Bilbrook,  preaching  at,  314 
Bingham,  preaching  at,  358 
Birds,  Wesley  on 

Solund  geese,  376 

song  birds  in  Isle  of  Man,  434 
Birmingham 

journey  through,  36 


INDEX 


489 


Birmingham 

mobbing  at,  302 
work  in,  114,  177,  336 

Birr,  preaching  at,  160,  172 

Birstall,  visits  to,  86,  403 

Birth,  Wesley's,  xxxi 

Bishops,  authority  of,  415 

Blackheath,  field  preaching  at,  57 

Blackwell's,  Mr. ,  house  at  Lewis- 
ham,  retirement  at,  440 

Blanchland,   preaching   to  lead 
miners  at,  149 

Blarney,  meeting  with  Cork  Me- 
thodists at,  171 

Blazed  trees,  25 

Blendon,  visits  to  Mr.  Delaraotte 
at,  32 

Faith.  Justification  by, Wesley 
preaches,  40 
Blenheim  House,  impressions  of, 

369 

Boardman,  Richard,  volimteer  for 

work  in  America,  347 
Bogs,  journeys  through,  174,  316, 

323 
Bbhler,  Peter 

CaroUna,  depai  ture  for,  42 
influence  on  Wesley's  religiotis 

hfe,  35,  36,  39,  40,  41,  74 
introduction  to,  33,  xxxi 
travel  with,  34 
Bolton 

Methodist  choir  at,  470 
preaching 

barber's  story,  ig6 
mob  violence,  165,  175 
ride  to,  337 
Bonas,  journey  through,  207 
Books,  Wesley  and 

abridgments,  192,  193,  344 
criticisms  on,  64, 76,  151, 172, 
204,  215,  262,  332,  334,  344, 
350.  351.  370.  374.  379.  408. 
480,  481 
editions,  177,  192,  193,  195, 
406 

tu  also  Names  of  books, — 
Writings,  Wesley's,  &a 
Boothbank,  preacliing  at,  206 
Borlase,  Dr. 

persecution  of  Methodist  prea- 
chers, 127,  129 
warrant  for  Wesley's  arrest, 
130 

Boroughbridge,  journey  through, 
107 

Boston,  visits  to,  282,  428  | 


Bottle,  Journey  through,  253 
Bougainvilliers',  Count  of,  "  Life 
of  Mahomet,"  comments  on, 332 
Brackenbury,  Mr. 

hospitality  at  St.  Helier,  467 

journey  with,  442 
Bradford 

building,  Methodist,  see 
Preachmg-houses 

preaching  at,  59,  324,  350 
Bradford,  Joseph 

Guernsey,  preaching  in,  467 

journey  with,  43T 

Wesley's  last  illness,  xxx 
Bramley,  preaching  at,  280,  425 
Breage,  visit  to,  222 
Brechin 

preaching  at,  295,  375 

provost's  son,  cure  of,  340 
Brecknock,  visits  to,  178,  228,  424 
Brecknockshire'scenery,  298 
Brent  Hill,  view  from,  349 
Brentford,  preaching  at,  328 
Bridgewater,  journey  through,  349 
Bridlmgton,  pri^aching  at,  423 
Brig  Casterton,    snowy  journey 

from,  148 
Brimstone  plaster,  experiment  of, 
213 

Bristol,  Wesley  and 

building,  Methodist,  first  in 
England,  xxxi 
erection  of,  49,  xxxi 
repairing  and  enlarging, 
collections  for,  154 
hot  wells,  drinking  the  waters 

at,  214 
illness  at,  79 

Newgate  Prison,  see  that  title 
riot  against  Methodists,  70 
society,  Methodist 

classes,  institution  of,  xxxi 
conferences,  138,  237 
rules,  consideration  of,237 
Steed,  Ann,  first  convert, 
293 

Visits  to,  46,  126,  173,  195, 

204,  206,  342,  398 
work  in,  48,  50,  57,  79,  138, 
177,  225,  237,  262,  360 
Bristol  Cathedral,  performance  of 

Handel's  "  Messiah  "  at,  250 
Broadbent,  Mr.,  association  with, 
442 

Broadmarston,  visits  to,  336,  398 
Bromley,  erection  of  preaching 
house  at,  382 


490 


INDEX 


Broseley 

preaching  at,  397 

Severn  Bridge,  view  of,  432 
Brothers,  Wesley's 

Tiverton,  visit  to  brother  at, 
35 

see  also  Wesley,  Charles 
Brough,  preaching  at,  341 
Broughton's,    Mr.,    opinion  on 

Wesley's  doctrine  of  faith,  41 
Broughty  Castle,  crossing  the  ferry 

at,  295 

Buckingham's,  Mr. ,  abandonment 

of  Methodism,  327 
Builth,  preaching  at,  178,  228 
Burglary  at  Wesley's  house,  456 
Biu-ials 

Ireland,  howling  at  funerals 

in,  187 
Scotch  rite  of,  394 
see  also  Funerals 
Burnet's,  Dr.,  "Theory  of  the 

Earth,"  comments  on,  350 
Burnham,  preaching  at,  198 
Burslem 

driving  accident,  narrow  es- 
cape from,  298 
potters,  preaching  to,  298,  314 
Bury,  visit  to,  485 
Buryan,  preaching  at,  326 
Business 

Societies,  Methodist,  see  that 
title 

Wesley's,  237,  393,  477,  478 
"  Byion,    Commander,  Account 
of,"  comments  on,  344 

Calamy's,  Dr.,  abridgment  of 
"  Baxter's  Life,"  comments  on, 
21s 

Callistick,  preaching  at,  342 
Calton  Hill,  preaching  on,  307, 
3" 

Camberwell,  retirement  at,  477 
Camelford,  journey  through,  359 
Canada,  Methodism  in,  459,  xxxii 
Candour,  Wesley's  love  of,  296 
"Canorum,"  Cornish  nickname 

for  Methodist,  133 
Canterbury 

preaching  at,  192,  226,  261, 
362 

riding  accident  at,  250 
visit  to,  332 
Canterbury,  Archbishop  of 

interview  with  Wesley  and 
Whitefield,  84 


Canterbury,  Archbishop  of 

Palace  at  Croydon,  Wesley's 
visit  to,  260 
Canterbury   Cathedral,  impres- 
sions of,  192 
Cardiff 

failure  of  work  in,  166 
preaching  at,  64,  78,  166,  178 
Carfax,  preaching  at,  40 
Carisbrook  Castle,  visits  to,  211, 

459 
Carlisle 

blind  genius  at,  408 
preaching  at,  372 
Carmarthen,  visits  to,  298,  316 
Carn  Brae,  visit  to  Druid  remains 
at,  360 

Carnarvon,  journeys  through,  161, 

229 

Carriage,  Wesley's 

Customs  Commissioners'  re- 
fusal to  allow  landing  of, 
384 

gift  of,  by  Wesley  s  friends,  371 
Carrick-on-Shannon,  Justices'  at- 
tack on  Methodists  at,  267 
Castle  Caulfield,  preaching  at,  345 
Castlebar,  neglected  condition  of 

Charter-school  at,  386 
Castleton,  preaching  at,  434 
Castletown,  visit  to,  414 
Cathanger,  preaching  at,  419 
Causton,  Mr.,  controversy  at  Sa- 
vannah with,  17 
Cave's,  Dr.,  "  Primitive  Christi- 
anity,'' abridgment  of,  192 
Celibacy,  views  on,  194,  319 
Chaise  drivers'  league  with  high- 
waymen, 418 
Chancery  bills,  opinion  on,  125 
Channel  Islands,  visit  to,  464 
Character,  Wesley's,  allegations 

against,  77,  79,  136,  222,  427 
"  Character   of   a  Methodist," 

Wesley's  tract  on,  329 
Charlemount,  preaching  at,  345 
Charles  II.,  reflections  on,  334, 
376 

Charlton,  preaching  at,  216 
Charterhouse  and  Wesley 
entry,  xviii,  xxxi 
meeting  with  old  schoolfellow, 

341 
visit,  243 
Chatham 

erection  of  Methodist  buiU- 
ing,  362 


INDEX 


491 


Chatham 

preaching  at,  363,  420,  461 
Chelsea,  disturbance  of  preaching 
at,  8i 

Chelsea  Physic  Garden,  visit  to, 

166 

Cheltenham,  preaching  at,  335, 

398 
Chepstow 

college  friend,  meeting  with, 
283 

scenery  at,  349 
Cherington,  preaching  at,  276 
Chester 

impressions  of,  202 
preaching,  201,  285 

early  service,  discontin- 
uance of,  451 
Chester-on-the-Strate,  preaching 

at,  24a 
Children 

Education,  see  that  title 
Gordon's  Hospital  for,  294 
"  Lessons     for     Children,  * 

Wesley's,  195 
see  also  Schools 
Chippenham,  journey  to,  3x4 
Choctaw  Indians,  proposed  mis- 
sion to,  12 
"  Cliohelcth,  a  Poem,"  comments 
on,  334 

Chow  den  Fell,  preaching  on,  106 
"Christian  Library,"  preparation 
of,  205,  214 

debt  incurred  by,  205 
Church  of  England 

ai  tendance  at  church  services, 
Wesley's,   109,    151,  152, 
170,  220,  251,  252,  277,  357 
clergy 

incompetent  clergy,  stric- 
tures on,  37S 
opposition  of,  48,  63,  87, 
245  305.  335.  440 
London  churches,  invitations 
to  preach  in,  421,  442,  480 
separation  from 

clergy,     inefficient,  in- 
fluence of,  473 
conferences,  decision  of, 

219,  237,  474 
divergence  from  church 
practices,  73,  474,  478 
protests   against,  Wes- 
ley's, 389,  462 
Churches,  Methodist,  see  Preach- 
ing Houses 


City  Road  Chapel 

foundation-stone,  laying,  413 

opening,  420,  xxxi 

Wesley's  last  sermon  in,  xxxil 
Clara,  preaching  at,  157 
Classics,  comments  on,  344 
Clifton,  preaching  at,  50 
Clonmell,  visits  to,  188,  232 
Closelanti,  preaching  at,  189 
Coal  pit,  fire  in,  254 
Cobham 

gardens,  visits  to,  366,  425 

journey  thi-ough,  210 
Cockermouth 

preaching  at,  206,  407,  416 

visit  to,  338 
Cockfighting,  objection  to,  105, 

157 
Coke,  Dr. 

America,  volunteer  for  work 
in,  456 

Guernsey,  visit  to,  466 
Colbeck,  Mr.,  attack  of  mob  on, 

163 
Colchester 

preaching  at,  251 

Society,  see  Societies,  Metho- 
dist 

Colchester  Castle,  visit  to,  252 

Ccleford 

coUiers,  influence  of  Metho* 

dism  on,  154 
preaching  at,  228 
Colestock,  wet  journey  to,  149 
Collections 

America,    subscriptions  to- 
wards work  in,  347 
buildings,  Methodist,  collec- 
tions for,  154,  202 
Knowle,  relief  of  French  pri- 
soners at,  262,  270 
poor  relief,  70,  74,  147,  457, 
463 

Colliers,  preaching  to,  105,  154, 

256,  397,  416 
see  also  Kingswood 
Collins,  Mr.,  discussion  of  field 

prf  aching  with,  136 
Collumpton,  visits  to,  360,  441 
Colne,  effect  of  Methodist  work 

in,  406 

Confertnces,  Wesley's,  216,  417 

Bristol,  138,  237 

England,  Church  of,  separa- 
tion from,  see  Church  of 
England 

First  conference,  124,  xxxi 


492 


INDEX 


Conferences,  Wesley's 
Leeds,  219,  347 
London,  424,  441,  474 

Congleton,  riotous  congregation 

at.  314 

Connaught,  preaching;  in,  157 
Conversion 

Faith,    Justification  by,  see 

that  title 
Sanctification,  Methodist  doc- 
trine of,  292,  293 
Conway  Castle,  236 
Cookstown,  preaching  at,  345 
Coolylough,  quarterly  meeting  at, 
347 

Coot  Hill,  preaching  at,  287 
Cope's,  Gen.,  defeat  by  Preten- 
der's troops,  140 
Corfe  Castle,  visit  to,  398 
Cork 

Barracks,  preaching  at,  187 
building,    Methodist,  collec- 
tion for,  202 
effigy,  Wesley  burnt  in,  184 
meetingwith  Methodists  from, 
171 

visits  to,  182,  202 
Whiteboys,  disturbances  at, 
289 
Cornwall 

congregations,  see  Field 
Preaching  —  Numbers  at- 
tracted by 
persecution    of  Methodists, 
127-134 
cessation  of,  152,  292 
tours  in,  108,  127,  151,  221, 
244,  291,  359,  392,  411,  479 
Correspondence,    Wesley's,  69, 

320,  382,  475 
Country  life,  misery  of,  328 
Cove,  stay  at,  203 
Coventry,  preaching  at,  423 
Cowbridge,   reformation  effected 
at.  167 

Crimble  Passage,  dangerous  cros- 
sing at,  343 
Criminals 

drive  from  Coventry  with,  423 
see  also  Newgate 
Crowan,  arrest  of  Mr.  Maxfield 

at,  127 
Crowle,  preaching  at,  437 
Croydon,  visit   to  Archbishop's 

palace  at,  260 
Cubert 

caves,  visit  to,  224 


Cubert 

preaching  at,  327,  359,  411 

Cumberland's,  Duke  of,  improve- 
ments at  Windsor  Park,  367 
Cupar,  journey  through,  311 
Cypress  swamp,  15 


Daily  Chronicle,  Wesley's  letter 
on  prison  reform  to,  271 

Dale  Country,  tour  through,  378 

Dalwhinny,  dangerous  journey 
from,  354 

DannabuU,  visit  to,  179 

Darlington 

horses,  death  of,  107 
preaching  at,  276 

Davis's,  Sir  J. ,  "  Historical  Rela- 
tions concerning  Ireland  —  " 
comments  on,  265 

Death 

preparation  for,  Wesley's,  5, 
29 

transitoriness  of  earthly 
things,  193,  199,  219,  226, 
252,  255,  260,  365,  368,  426 
Wesley's,  xxx,  xx.xii 
see  also  Names  of  persons 
Deathbed  repentance,  opinion  on, 

36,  462 
Debts 

Societies,  Methodist,  see  that 
title 

Wesley's,  49,  205,  237,  477 
Declaration  in  an  indictment  for 
defrauding  the  Revenue,  opinion 
of,  279 
Delamotte,  Mr. 

Blendon,  reception  of  Wesley 

at.  32,  40 
food,  experiment  with,  10 
voyage  to  America,  3 
Delft,  visit  to,  446 
Denmark,  Arctic  explorations  by, 
383 

Depression,  sufferings  firom,  27, 

125 
Deptford 

preaching  at,  62,  283,  328 
Whitefield's,  Mr.,  funeral 
sermon,  363 
Society's    separation  from 
Church  of  England,  protest 
against,  462 
Derby,  disturbance  at  field  preach- 
ing in,  303 
Desmond's,  Earl  of,  castle,  364 


INDEX 


493 


Deverel  Longbridge,  accident  dur- 
ing journey  to,  150 
Dewsbury,  preaching  at,  296 
Dinsrbridge,  field  preaching  at, 
388 

"  Discourses,"  Wesley's,  262 
Diss  Church,  preaching  in,  485 
Doctor,  Wesley  as,  205,  217,  340, 
390 

Dodd,  Dr.,  dispute  on  "  Character 
of  a  Methodist"  with,  328 

Doddridge's,  Dr.,  school,  visit  to, 
138 

Dolgelly,  visits  to,  178,  229 
Doncaster,  preaching  at,  304 
Donegal's,  Lord,  tenants,  ejection 
of,  391 

Dorking,  preaching  at,  363,  367 
Dorset's,  Duke  of,  seat,  visit  to, 
429 

"  Douglas,"  comments  on,  240 
Douglas 

impressions  of,  414 

preaching  at,  433 
Dover,   preaching  at,  226,  261, 

332.  343.  362 
Dover  Castle,  visit  to,  326 
Downes,  John 

death  of,  399 

journey  with,  146 
Dreams 

conversion  by,  51 

remarkable,  233,  242,  379, 452 

views  on,  Wesley's,  264 
Druid  remains  at  Carn  Brae,  visit 

to,  360 
Drumersnave,  visit  to,  265 
Drunkards,  see  Intemperance 
Dublin 

Court  of  Conscience,  sum- 
mons before,  344 

Phoenix  Park,  vibit  to,  152 

Pilkington,  Mrs.,  interview 
with,  182 

preaching  in,  152,  158,  160, 
230 

Society,  Methodist,  168,  384 
review  of,  290 

Dudley 

erection  of  Methodist  build- 
ing, see  Preaching-houses 
preaching  at 

changed  conduct  towards 

Methodists,  273,  302 
mob  attacks,  176 
Dumfries,  visits  to,  207,  238,  255, 
323 


Dummer,  visit  to  Mr.  Kinchin  at, 
40 

Dunbar 

battle-field,  377 
preaching  at,  306,  376 
society, 

Dundee,  preaching  at,  308,  454 
Dungiven,  bad  road  to,  346 
Dunkeld 

Athol's,  Duke  of,  gardens,  374 

impressions  of,  353 
Dun  more,  visit  to  Earl  of  Arran's 

seat  at,  189 
Dunmore  Cave,  vis't  to,  290 
Dunsiable,  visit  to,  248 
Durham 

Bishop's  palace,  impressions 
of,  427 

preaching  at,  276 

Eagle,  Mount,  visit  to,  288 
Early  rising 

five  o'clock  services,  discon- 

tmuance  of,  see  Preaching 
habit  of,  Wesley's,  397,  411, 
428,  4SI,  471 
Ebly,  preachmg  at,  63 
Ecclesiastes 

"Choheleth,"  poem  on,  334 
sermons  on,  Wesley's,  412 
Edinburgh 

Assembly,  General,  meeting 

of,  307 
impressions  of,  197,  275 
preaching  in,  295,  307,  340, 

426,  438,  454 
society,  examination  of,  394 
visit  to,  372 
Edinburgh  University,  410 
Edinderry,  visits  to,  154,  384 
Education 

boarding  schools,  fashionable, 

evil  influence  of,  371 
Manchester  Address,  337 
"  Rousseau  on  Education," 

criticism  of,  351 
schools,  see  that  title 
Wesley's,    Mrs.  Susannah, 
letter  on,  93 
Elections,  Parliamentary 

conduct  of  Methodists  at,  152 
Old  Sarum,  botough  of,  216 
Oxford,  vole  at,  193 
Electricity 

disease,  treatment  of,  205 
purchase  of  electrical  appara- 
tus, Wesley's,  238 


INDEX 


Electricity 

see  also  Illness,  Wesley's 
Elgin,  visits  to,  310,  354,  452 
Elizabe'h,  Queen,  opinion  o'',  339 
Ellison's,  Mr.,  preaching  at  Gates- 
head, 143  ^ 
Elsham,  preaching  at,  305 
Ely  Cathedral,  visit  to,  401 
England,  histories  of,  Wesley's, 

192,  406 
Ennisl<illen 

mobbing  by  masons  at,  388 
ride  to,  287 
Enshatn  Ferry,  dangerous  crossing 

of,  301 
Epitaphs 

mother,  Wesley's,  90 
reflections  on,  364 
Wesley's  composition  of  his 
own  epitaph,  213 
Epsom,  visit  to  friend  at,  260 
Epworth 

childhood  at,  xviii 

church,  use  of,   refused  to 

Wesley,  86 
factories,  changed  conduct  of 

workpeople  in,  438 
field  preaching  at,  86,  304, 

437.  4SS.  473 
sacrament  refused  to  Wesley, 
104 

visits  to,  122,  124,  149,  249 
Wesley,  Rev.  S.,  worlt  under, 
88,  xxxi 
Erith,  journey  through,  40a 
Escot,  preaching  at,  246 
Eustick,  Mr. 

persecution  of  Methodists,  127 
Wesley,  serving  warrant  of 
arrest  on,  130 
Evans,  Mr. 

La-kenheath,  erection  of 

preaching-house  at,  248 
preaching  at  house  of,  193 
Evesham,  preaching  at,  398 
Evening  Post,  letter  in  defence 
of  "  Cairo  Address  to  the  Ameri- 
can Colonies,"  404 
Executors,  Wesley's,  xxviii 
Exeter 

preaching,  109,  291 
' '  Word  to  a  l-'reeholder," 
150 

Bishop  of,  dinner  with,  441 
Cathedral,  music  in,  291,  441 
Eyesight,  Wesley's,  397,  461,  470, 
471.  476,  478,  481,48a 


FACTORYhandsat  Epworth,  work 

among,  438 
Faith  healing,  75,  126,  146,  191 
Faith,  Justification  by 

outward   signs  of,  Wesley's 

views  on,  51,  264 
remarkable  instances  of,  41, 
58,  65,  81,  88,  174, 196,  222, 
232,  256,  296,  371 
Wesley,  experience  of,  35,  43, 
56,  57,  xxxi 
Falmouth,  preaching  at 
effect  of  work,  221,  479 
mobbing,  133 
Fast  days,  national,  227,  418, 
425 

Fasting,  obligation  of,  296 
Fasting  and  prayer,  days  of,  177, 
271.  35°.  382 
Pretender, intercession  against 

invasion  of,  140 
Scotland,  institution  of  fast 
days  in,  296 
Father,  Wesley's,  88,  xrl 
Felsham,  visit  to  Mr.  Reynolds's 

seat  at,  366 
Fen  Country 

drainage  of,  428 
journey  through,  402 
Ferbane,  refusal  to  receive  heretics 

at  inns  in,  172 
Ferguson,  Mr, ,  acquaintance  with, 
448 

Ferries,  danger  and  delay  of 
crossing,  78,  122,  171,  179,  188, 
228,  229,  252,  295,  301,  318,  343, 
378 

Ferry,  preaching  at,  305 
Fetter  Lane  Society,  S4 
Feversham 

magistrate  and  mob,  threat  of 

legal  proceedings  against, 

321 

preaching  at,  31,  363 
Field  preaching,  Wesley  and 

advantages  of,  136,  238,  256, 

262,  291,  299 
"cross,"  Wesley's,  379 
first  experience  of,  47,  xxxi 
injuries  received  during,  119 
irreverence,  charges  of,  165 
numbers  attracted  by,  48,  57, 

61,  76,  85,  88,  106,  109,  262, 

312.  324.  342.  386.  398.  427. 

434 

Cornwall,  223,  244,  327,  360, 
392.  479 


INDEX 


495 


Field  Preaching,  Wesley  and 

obstructionists,  Wesley's  me- 
thods with,  151,  192,  257, 
343 

press-gangs,  disturbances  by, 

see  Press-gangs 
Riot  Act,  reading,  130,  138 
unruliness,  64,  77,  no,  130, 

165,  200,  335,  386 
views  on,  \\'esley's,  54 
Findlater's,  Earl  of,  improvements 

near  Banff,  408 
Finningley,  preaching  at,  473 
Fire,  Wesley's  house  in  danger  of, 

400,  431 
Fishermen,  preaching  to,  245 
Flamhorough  Head,  view  of,  423 
Fletcher,  Mr.,  Wesley's  biography 
of,  461 

Flooten,  Mr.  Van,  dinner  with, 
450 

Floyd,  Mr.,  journey  with,  431 
Fochabers,  journey  through,  355 
Fonmon,  preaching  at,  167 
Food 

abstemiousness,  Wesley's,  4, 
27.  357 

Delamottes,  Mr.,  experi- 
ments, 10 

tea,  Wesley's  renunciation  of, 
146 

Forfar,  journey  through,  294 
Forgiveness  of  injuries,  Wesley's, 
205 

Fort  George,  invitation  from  com- 
manding officer  to  preach  at, 
354 

Fortifications,  English,  state  of, 
210 

Fothergill's,  Dr.,  medical  atten- 
dance, 212 
Foundery 

electrical  treatment  for  sick 

persons  at,  238 
fire  near,  400 
home  at,  leaving,  424 
institution  of  Methodist  work, 

at,  xxxi 
preaching  at,  X94,  195,  215, 
216,  368 
Fox,  Mr.,  travel  with,  36 
Foxes,  "Acts  and  IVIonuments," 

Wesley's  edition  of,  193 
Fox's.  Mrs.,  religious  influence  on 

Wesley,  41 
France,  war  with 

Hawke's,  Sir  E.,  victory,  265 


France,  war  with 

Ireland,  threatened  invasion 

of,  230 
Prisoners 

Knowle,    relief  of  pri- 
soners at,  262,  270 
Winchester,  treatment  at 
424 

Fraser,  Mr. ,  visit  to,  394 
Frederica,  visits  to,  10,  14 
Freshford,  preaching  at,  331,  349, 
423 

Friends,  Wesley  and  his 
loyalty  to,  382 

meetings  with  old  friends,  345, 
368,  369,  477 
Fulneck,  German  settlement  at, 
42s 

Funeral  sermons,  see  Sermons 


Gainsborough,  preaching  at,  455 
Hickman's,  Sir  N.,  hall,  use 
of,  257,  305 
Galway,  preaching  at,  386 
Gaols,  see  Prisons 
Garden,  iMr. ,  appeal  against  un- 
hcensed  marriages  in  Carolina 
to,  16 

Gardiner's,  CoL,  death  at  battle 

of  Preston,  197 
Garth,  journey  through,  167 
Gateshead,  preaching  at,  142 
George  II. 

death  of,  270 

impressions  of,  Wesley's,  226 
George  III.'s  speech,  excellent 

delivery  of,  460 
Georgia,  Wesley  in,  xxxi 

landing,  7, 

preaching  at  5  a.m.,  451 
report  to  the  trustees,  33,  41 

publication  of,  45 
see  also  Savannah 
Gerard's,  Mr.,  approval  of  prison 
work,  2 

Gerard's  Cross,  preaching  at,  41 
German  settlement  at  Fulneck, 
425 

Germans  on  s.s.  "Simmonds,'  6 

Germany,  visit  to,  44 

Gillies,  Mr.,  acquaintance  with, 
208,  239 

Glasgow 

preaching  at,  208,  239,  373 
sexton's  ghost  story.  331 

Glasgow  Cathedral,  visit  to,  239 


4.96 


INDEX 


Glasgow  University,  impressions 

of,  208,  239 
Glastonbury  Tower,  visit  to,  224 
Gloster,  preaching  at,  171 
Gloucester,  preaching  at,  421 

suppression  of  rioting,  335 
Glynne,  IVIrs.,  drive  to  Warn  with, 

284 

Godalniing,  journey  through,  210 
Goodshaw  church,  invitation  to 

preach  in,  164 
Gordon,  Lord  George,  interview 

with,  430 
Gordon,  Mr.,  minister  of  Keith, 

offer  of  kirk  to  Wesley,  409 
Gordon's  Hospital  for  Children, 

visit  to,  294 
Gordon's,  Mr.,  garden  at  Mile 

End,  402 
Gouda,  visit  to,  450 
Grammars,  Wesley's  compilations 
of 

French,  177 
Latin,  192 
Hebrew,  195 
Grampound,  preaching  at,  291 

mayor's  interference  with,  245 
Grant,  Mr.,  invitation  to  Grange 

Green  from,  310 
Grant,  Sir  Archibald 
invitation  from,  274 
visit  to,  308 
Grant,  .Sir  Lu.iowick,  visit  to,  453 
Grantham,  snowy  journey  to,  149 
Graiton    church,    invitation  to 

preach  in,  421 
Great  St.  Helen's  church,  preach- 
ing in,  34,  481 
Greenock,  preaching  at,  373 
Greenwich,  Mr.  Whitefield's  fun- 
eral sermon  at,  362 
Griffith's,  John,  courage,  l2o 
Griffith's,  R.,  house,  attack  on, 

181 
Grimsby, 

dangerous  crossing  to,  122 
members  from,  appointment 

with,  149 
preaching  at,  199 
Grimshaw,  Mr.,  attack  of  mob  on, 
163 

Guernsey,   impressions  of,  465, 
469 

Guisborough,  preaching  at,  277 
Gwennap,  field  preaching  at,  110, 
113,  129,  132,  137,  221,  269, 
292,  327,  342,  360,  392,  480 


Gwynne,   Sarah,   marriage  with 
Charles  Wesley,  167 

Haarlem,  impressions  of,  449 
Habits,  Wesley's,  397,  411,  428, 

439.  472 
Hackney,  retirement  at,  217 
Haddington,  preaching  at,  306 
Haddington's,  Earl  of,  seat,  visit 

to,  3S7 
Hague,  visit  to,  446 
Halifax,  development  of  Metho- 
dism at,  422 
Hammond's  Marsh,  preaching  at, 
182 

Hampton  Court  Palace,  impres- 
sions of,  369 

Handel's  oratorios,  250 

Hannam 

Henderson,  Mr. ,  visit  to,  475 
preaching  at,  70 

Harford,  journey  through,  377 

Harris,  Howell,  intercourse  with, 
58,  228,  348 

Harston,  preaching  by  moonlight 

Hartlepool,   field  preaching  at, 

257,  276 
Harvey,  Miss,  visit  to,  440 
Hatfield 

Salisbury's,  Lord,  seat,  visit 

to,  461 
storm  at,  147 
Haverfordwest,  visits  to,  299,  317 
Hawke's,    Sir  H.,   victory  over 

French  fleet,  265 
Hawkins,  Sir  J.,  dinner  with,  404 
Haworth 

Grimshaw,  Mr.,  minister  of— 
mobbing  at  Barrowford, 
163 

preaching  at,  280 
Haxey,  preaching  at,  88,  473 
Hayes,  journey  through,  198 
Health,  improvement  of,  in  old 

age,  455 
Hedgeford,  journey  through,  38 
Helstone,  preaching  at,  479 

effect  of  work  at,  222,  392 
Helvoetsluys,  voyage  to  England 

from,  450 
Henderson,  Mr.,  visit  to,  475 
Henley,  teaching  in  the  inn  at,  38 
Heptonstall,  preaching  at,  219 
Hickman's,  Sir  N.,  hall  at  Gains- 
borough, preaching  in,  257,  305 
Hide,  Mr.,  stay  with,  151 


INDEX 


497 


Highgate,  preaching  at  Miss  Teu- 

lon's  school  in,  475 
Higlilands,  Scotch,  boundaries  of, 

356 

Highwaymen 

immunity  from  attack  of,  441 
postchaise  drivers  league  with, 
418 

High  Wycombe,  preaching  at, 
301 

Hildesley's,  Bishop,  tomb,  visit  to, 
435 

Hinely  Hill,  moving  service  at, 
174 

Hinxworth,  jour;iey  through,  440 
Histories,  Wesley's  compilations, 

192,  406 
Holland 
churches 

reverence  of  Dutch  con- 
gregations, 445 
Invitation  to  preach  in, 
443 

impressions  of,  450 

tour  in,  442 
Holloway,  Mr.,  stay  with,  179 
Holms-Chapel,  journey  through, 
37 

Holy  Club 

formation  of,  i,  3,  xxxi 
Sarney,  Mr.,  member  of,  34 
Holy  Island,  visit  to,  306 
Holyhead 

crossings  to  and  from  Ireland, 

161,  168,  230,  236,  432 
Griffith's,  R.,  house,  attacks 

on, 187 
preaching  at,  180 
Holyrood  Palace,  visits  to,  340, 
426 

Homer's  Iliad,  comments  on,  161 
Homes  in  London,  Wesley's,  425 

burglary  at,  456 

City  Road  house,  Wesley's 
death  at,  xxxii 

fires  at,  400,  431 

Foimdery,  leaving  home  in, 

Hopperf'^Mr.,  association  with, 

178,  180,  39S 
Horses 

accidents  to  his,  193,  aoi,  316 
delays  occasioned  by,  108, 

188,  284,  299 
lameness  healt  d  by  iiuth,  146 
loss  of,  107,  201 
record  rides,  259,  311 


Horses 

riding  accidents,     title  Acci- 
dents 

stumbling,  prevention  of,  3.i;3 
Houghton,  preaching  at,  358 
Housekeeper,  dismissal  of,  475 
Hoy-Lake,  first  sleepless  night  in 

■Wesley's  life,  391 
Hull,  visits  to,  199,  306 
Huntingdon's,  Countess  of,  birth- 
day celebrations,  348 
Husk,  Gen.,  letter  to,  143 
Hutchins's,  Mr.,  religious  influ- 
ence on  Wesley,  41 
Hutton,  James,  meeting  with,  368 
Hutton  Rudby,  Methodist  society 
at,  277 

Huygens's  "Conjectures  on  the 
Planetary  World,"  comments 
on,  262 


Illnesses 

mind  influence  of,  on  the 

body,  253 
Wesley's,  79,  169,  172,  178, 
212,  226,  240,  297,  332, 
358,  414 
depression,  27,  125 
electrical  treatment,  322 
393 

last  illness,  xxv 
overwork,  276 
quinsey,  attack  in  Dublin, 
158 

recovery  in   answer  to 

prayer,  75,  147 
remedies,  Wesley's,  see 

that  title 
toothache,  149,  301 
Illogan,  preaching  at,  244, 269, 392 
Indians,  American 

chiefs,  interviews  with,  8, 12, 
IS 

visit  to,  9 
Ingham's,  Mr.,  voyage  to  America, 
3 

Inns,  Scotland,  accommodation  in, 

354 

Intemperance,  abandonment  of,  by 

Wesley's  followers,  78,  196 
Inverness 

impressions  of,  309 
preaching,  308,  354,453 
Ipswich,  journey  through,  4S3 
Ireland 

history  of,  comments  on,  265 
31 


498 


INDEX 


Ireland 

honesty  of  Dublin  boolfseller, 
231 

journeys  in,  157, 167, 177,  250, 

286,  344,  364,  384 
strife,  religious,  160 
voyages,  161,  168,  172,  204, 

230,  23s,  384,  431,  464 
Whiteboys  risin;;,  289 
Isham,  Dr.,  invitation  to  vote  for 

Oxford  M.P.  from,  193 
Islington,  preaching  at,  45 
Italian  language,  study  of,  3a 

Jane,  John 

death  of,  190 

Holyhead,  meeting  with  Wes- 
ley at,  180 
preaching  at  Colne  from  the 
stocks,  406 
Jatterson,  preaching  to  colliers  at, 
416 

Jersey,  impressions  of,  467 
Jers(  y's,  Mr.  de,  hospitality  In 
Guernsey,  465 

jews  at  Savannah,  16 
ohnson.  Dr. 

"Tour  through  Scotland," 

comments  on,  437 
"  Tour  to  the  Western  Isles," 

comments  on,  408 
visit  to,  450 
ones.  Dr.,  visit  to,  442 
ones's,  Mr.,  escape  from  mob  at 
Cork,  184 
Journal,  Wesley's,  214,  477 

origin  of,  vii 
"Judith,"  performance  of,  302 
Justices  of  the  Peace,  see  Magis- 
trates 


Keith,  visits  to,  355,  409 

Kelso,  preaching  at,  241 

Kendal,  deterioration  of  Method- 
ist work  at,  337 

Kennet's  "Antiquities,"  revision 
of,  192 

Kennington  common,  preaching 

on,  57,  61,  71 
Kerley,  preaching  in  the  rain  at, 
342 

Kershaw's,  Dr.,  invitation  of  Wes- 
ley's services  in  Leeds  Church, 
422 

Keswick,  visits  to,  174,  338 
Kilconnel  visit  to  rums  ai,  235 


Kilkenny 

impressions  of,  189 

preaching  in  town  hall,  290 
Killcock,  journey  through,  159 
Kinchin,  Mr. 

association  with,  36,  37,  39 

visit  to,  40 
Kingston,  journey  through,  210 
Kingswood 

coUiers,    Whitefield's  work 
amongst,  68 

preaching,  48, 50, 79,  360, 377, 
456 

religious  ecstasies  of  women 

at,  6s 
visits  to,  204 
Kingswood  School 

books  for  use  in,  compilation 

of,  192 
establishment  of,  64 
fire,  246 

meeting  with  ex-master  of,  424 

progress,  248 
reorganisation,  173 
small-pox,  outbreak  of,  300 
teaching,  Wesley's,  91 
visit  to,  300 

Kinnaird,  invitation  to  open  new 
church  at,  345 

Kinnegad,  journey  through,  159 

Kinsale,  preaching  at,  186,  202 

Kiphill,  preaching  at,  377 

Knightsbridge,  ill-behaved  con- 
gregation at,  458 

Knowle,  relief  of  French  prisoners 
at,  262,  270 

Knutsford,  journey  through,  38 


Labour  colony  in  London,  72 
Laburnum,  cultivation  of  for  tim- 
ber, 310 

Lakenheath,  Mr.  Evans's  preach- 
ing-house at,  248 
Lambeth,  preaching  at,  61,  62 
Land's  End,  impressions  of,  iii 
244 

Lane's,  Justice,  proclamation 
against  Methodist  preachers,  121 

Languages,  foreign,  Wesley's  ac- 
quaintance with,  3,  32,  448 

Lanissan,  visit  to  Mr.  Williams 
at,  78 

Lanmais,  preaching  at,  167 
Lansteffan  Ferry,  317 
Lantrissent,  preaching  at,  167 
Launceston,  visit  to,  114,  327,  359 


INDEX 


499 


Lavington,    Bishop,  association 

with,  291 
Law,  Wesley  and  the 

appeals  against  violence  to, 

So,  127,  162,  321,  325 
iniquities  of 

Chancery  bills,  125 
Declaration  in  an  indict- 
ment  for  defrauding 
the  Revenue,  279 
Gordon,   Lord  George, 
indictment  against,  430 
press-gangs,  60 
see  also  Magistrates 
Law's,  Mr.,  "Book  on  the  New 

Birth,"  comments  on,  64 
Lead  Hill,  visits  to,  208,  239,  255 
Leeds 

conferences,  347 

separation  from  Church 
of  England,  decision 
against,  219 
mobbing  at,  139 
parish  church,  invitation  to 

assist  in,  422 
preaching  at.  347,  403 
Pretender's  invasion,  news  of, 
14s 

society,  Methodist,  313 
visits  to,  107,  425 
Leeward  Islands,  Methodism  in, 
459 

Leicester,  preaching  in  Casde  vard 
at,  358 

Leicestershire,  summons  to  dying 

friend  in,  84 
Leigh,  preaching  at,  166,  212 
Leith,  journey  through,  295 
Lesmahaggy,   journey  through, 

208 

"  Lessons  for  Children,"  Wesley's, 
19s, 

Levens,  Countess  of,  seat,  preach- 
ing at,  454 
Lewis's    "  Hebrew  Antiquities," 

revision  of,  192 
Lewi^ham 

Blackwell's,  Mr.,  house,  fare- 
well visit  to,  440 
illness  at,  213 
retirement,  361,  424,  425 
Leyden,  visit  to,  447 
Likes  and  dislikes,  Wesley's,  313 
l.imerick 

lease  of  old  abbey  by  Metho- 
dists, 169 
preaching  at,  170 


Limerick  Cathedral,  attendance  a 

divine  service  at,  160 
Lincoln,   erection  of  preaching- 
house  at,  482 
Lincoln  Cathedral,  visit  to,  482 
Lions,   musical   experiment  on, 
319 

Lisburn,  preaching  and  doctoring 

Liverpool 

impressions  of,  218 
preachmg  at,  218,  313,  337 
preaching-house  deed,  opin- 
ion of,  32a 
•ociety,  Methodist,  regulations 

of,  322 
visits  to,  384 
Llanidloes,  visits  to,  178,  3T5 
Lloyd's  Evening  Post,  letter  on 
"Character  of  a  Methodist"  to, 
329 

Lloyd's,  Henry,  interpretation  of 
Wesley's  preaching  into  Welsh, 
167 

Loddon,  preaching  at,  484 
London,  Bishop  of 

Chai'lestovvn  commissary,  16 
interview  with  Wesley  and 
■Whitefield,  84 
London 

homes  in,  see  Homes  in  Lon- 
don, Wesley's 
labour  colony  in,  72 
Wesley's  preaching  and  w  i  rk 
in.  33.  34.  45.  57.61,71.  -1. 
83,  106,  108,  124,  196,  198, 

SIO,  237,  320,  321,  402,  -] 
442,  450,  458,  474,  477,  4.0, 
481 

London  Magazine,  reply  to  let  er 

on  Astronomy  in,  320 
Londonderry 

Bishop's  palace,  visit  to,  389 
preaching  at,  346 
society,   ill  organisation  of, 
346 

Lords,  House  of,  visits  to,  21-6, 
459,  460 

Lot,  decision  by,  46 

Loughborough,  preaching  at,  358 

Love  feasts,  celebrations  of,  265, 
269,  348 

Lowestoft,  society  at,  4.84 

Loyal's,  Mr.,  hospitality  at  Rot- 
terdam, 442,  450 

Lurgan,  speaking  statue  at,  286, 
390 


B66 


INDEX 


Luther,  Martin 

"Comment  on  the  Epistle  to 
the  Galatians,"  criticism  on, 
76 

"  Life  of,"  comments  on,  172 
Luton,    preaching    in  crowded 

church  at,  369 
Lympsham,  visit  to,  360 
Lynn,  preaching  at,  484 

Macclesfield  Church,  assisting 

at  Good  Friday  service  in,  437 
Machynlleth,  ride  to,  178 
Mackford,  Mr.,  attack  of  mob  on, 

163: 
Madelejr 

Church,  preaching  in,  314 
earthquake  at,  392 
Madeley  Wood 

Methodism  at,  lack  of  organi- 
sation, 422 
preaching  to  colliers  at,  397 
Magazine,  Wesley's,  418,  425 
Arn\inian,  change  of  editor, 
478 
Magistrates, 

appeal  against  violence  to, 

127,  162,  325 
Arbroath,  Wesley's  presenta- 
tion with  freedom  of,  376 
legal  proceedings  against,  321 
Staffordsliire  justices'  procla- 
mation against  Methodist 
preachers,  121 
support  of,  70,  87,  304,  335, 
33^ 

"Mahomet,  Life  of,"  comments 
on,  332 

M'AUum,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  journey 

in  Scotland  with,  453 
Man,  Isle  of,  impressions  of,  414, 

434 
Manchester 

preaching  at,  218,  296 

visits  to,  36,  37,  353 
Marazion,   Mr.   Maxfield's  trial 

and  condemnation  at,  128 
Markfield,  preaching  at,  76,  358 
Marriage 

opinions  on,  167,  194,  196 

unlicensed,  suppression  of,  16 

Wesley's,  194,  xxxi 

see  also  Wesley,  Charles 
Marshalsea  Prison 

depravity  in,  205 

succour  of  Dutchman  in,  333 
Marshfield,  journey  through,  82 


Mary,  Queen  of  Scots 

"  Inquiry    into    Proofs  of 
Charges    against,"  conj- 
ments  on,  338 
needlework  at  Scoon,  340 
reflections  on,  276 
Matlock,  preaching  to  fashionable 

congregation  at,  282 
Maxfield,  preaching  at,  297 
Maxfield's,  Mr.,  arrest  and  con- 
demnation for  preaching,  127 
Maxwell,  Lady,  stay  with,  438 
Mayors 

Cork,    encouragement  of 

rioters  at,  184 
encouragement  of,  112,  119, 

232,  386 
Interference  of,  245,  317 
Newcastle,  see  that  title 
Riot  Act,    proclamation  of 
against  Wesley,  130 
Medros,  visit  to,  360 
Meeting-house,  Wesley's  objection 

to  term,  323 
Melval  House,  preaching  at,  454 
Merchant's,  Mr.,  hospitality,  54 
"Messiah,"   Handel's,  periform- 

ance  of,  at  Bristol,  250 
Methodism, 

allegations  against,  136,  171, 

222,  440 
conduct,  effect  on,  72,  78,  87, 
157,  196,  241,  357,  411,  438 
Dodd,  Dr.,  dispute  with  on 
"Character  of  a  Metho- 
dist," 328 
name  of  Methodism  given  to 

Wesley's  teaching,  61,  64 
origin  of,  i 

persecution  of,  136,  184,  189, 
206 

progress  of,  220,  330,  436, 

459,  xxxii 
see  also  Mobs,  &c. 
Mevagissey,  preaching  at,  245,  34a 
Middlesey,  visit  t';>,  291 
Mighton  Car,  preaching  at,  199 
Mile  End,  visit  to  Mr.  Gordon's 

garden  at,  402 
Millim  Sands,  crossing,  253 
Miller's,  Mr.,  speaking  statue  at 

l.urgan,  286,  390 
Miners,  Wesley  and  the 
preaching 

colliers,  see  that  title 
lead  miners  at  Blanch- 
land,  149 


INDEX 


501 


Miners,  Wesley  and  the 
preaching 

tinners,  no,  114,  130 
Cornish  miner's  sermon,  244 
Minories,  preaching  in,  45 
Minster,  visit  to  old  cliurch  at 
420 

Misterton,  preaching  at.  305,  472 
Mistleythorn,  foundation  of  society 

by  Deptford  shipwright,  458 
Mobs  which  threatened  Wesley 

Bandon,  183 

Barrowford,  163 

Birmingham,  jos 

Bolton,  175 

Derby,  303 

Dudley,  176 

Enniskillen,  387 

Falmouth,  133 

Holyhead,  181 

Shepton  Mallet,  156 

Stallbridge,  325 

Wednesbury,  114 

Wesley  's  influence  on,  71, 115, 
151,  176 

Monaghan,  suspicion  of  Wesley's 
connection  with  Whiteboys  ris- 
ing, 286 

Monedie,  attendance  at  funeral  at, 

394 
Money 

views  on  possession  of  pro- 
perty, Wesley's,  190 
Wesley's 

accounts,  settling  of,  393, 
477 

debts,  49,  238,  477 
income  from  Methodist 

societies,  442 
publication,  loss  incurred 

by,  205 
responsibility  for  Method- 
ist building  expenses, 49 
Monmouth,  visit  to,  424 
Monmouthshire  scenery,  298 
Montrose,  preaching  at,  355 
Moorfields,  preaching  at,  57,  61, 

153,  191,  238,  262,  413 
Moravians 

admiration  for,  74 
visit  to,  45 
Morgan,  Mr.,  member  of  Holy 
Club,  I 

Morgan,  Mr.  Jenkin, acquaintance 

with,  179,  180 
Morpeth,  preaching  at,  173,  196, 

841,  306 


Morva 

preaching  at,  129,  244 
Riot  Act,   proclamation  of, 
against  Methodists,  138 
Moss,  Richard,  journey  to  New- 
castle with,  126 
Mousehole,  preaching  at,  326,  460 
Murrayshire,  aspect  of,  310 
Museum,  British,  visits  to,  265, 
430 

Music,  Wesley  and 

Bolton,  Methodist  choir  at, 
47° 

Exeter  Cathedral,  441 
experiments  on  wild  beasts, 
319 

horses,  effects  of  music  on,  347 
"Judith,  "performance  of,  302 
Macclesfield,  437 
Manx  singing,  435 
"  Messiah,"  performance  of, 
250 

Rotterdam  organ,  445 
Musselburgh,  preaching  at,  197, 
307 


Nafferton,  preaching  at,  219, 

256 
Nairn 

preaching  in  kirk,  309,  354 

visit  to,  453 
Negroes,  preaching  to,  28 
Neiser,    Wensel,  acquaintance 
with,  33 

Nelson,  John,  Cornish  journey 

with,  no,  112 
Nenagh,  dragoon's   request  for 

preaching,  169 
Nephews,  Wesley's,  attendance 

at  concert  given  by,  431 
Nettle  cure,  169,  217 
New-Dangle,  visit  to,  463 
New-Mills,  preaching  at,  337,  409 
New-Orygan,  visit  to,  378 
"  New  Testament  Notes,"  Wes- 
ley's, 2x4,  265 
New  Year  services,  382,  406,  412, 

442.  457 
New  'York 

Methodist  building,  first,  347 
progress  of  work  in,  350 
Newark-upon  Trent,  149,  428 
Newbury,  preaching  at,  352 
Newby,  preaching  at,  472 
Newcastle 

affection  for,  Wesley's,  255 


502 


INDEX 


Newcastle 

burlesque  on  Methodism  in 

Moot  Hall,  124 
preaching  at,  85, 106,  173,  241 
preaching-house 

foundation-stone,  laying, 
103 

purchase  of  ground  for, 
loa,  127 
Pretender,  defence  against 
invasion  of,  139 
mayor,  correspondence 

with,  140 
soldiers,  Wesley's  offer 
of  preaching  to,  143 
visits  to,  37, 123, 161,  294,  306 
walls,  old  Roman,  219 
wickedness  in,  85 
Newell  Hay,  preaching  at,  218 
Newfoundland,  Methodism  in,  459 
Newgate  Prison,  Bristol 
preaching,  50,  300 
reforms  in,  Wesley's  letter  to 

the  Daily  Chronicle,  271 
Wesley's  visits  prohibited,  71 
Newgate  Prison,  London 
condemned  criminals 

appeal  for  reprieve  of,  46a 
sermon  to,  457 
preaching  in,  45 
Newlyn,  preaching  at,  244,  479 
Newport,  Isle  of  Wi>;ht,  preaching 

at,  210,  459 
Newport,   Monmouthshire,  field 

preaching  at,  64 
Newport- Pagnell.joumey  through 
84 

Newton-upon-Trent,  preaching  at, 
428 

Newtown,  visit  to,  171 
Northallerton,  visit  to,  319 
Northampton,  75,  138,  440 
preaching  at,  350,  359 
Northamptonshire,  tour  through, 

Norwich,  401,  404 

preaching  at,  483,  484 
society,  see  Societies,  Method- 
ist 

St.  Peter's  parish  church,  254 

Tabernacle,  rebuke  to  beha- 
viour of  congregation  in,  260 

Taylor's,  Dr.,  meeting-house, 
247 
Nottingham 

preaching  at,  76,  220 

ride  to,  123 


Oakhampton,  Journey  through, 
150 

Oakhill,  preaching  at,  155 
Oglethorpe,  Mr. 

America,  visit  to,  5,  14 
Indians,  reception  of,  19 
visits  to,  Wesley's,  33 
Old  Jewry,  preaching  at,  463 
Old  Sarum,  visit  to,  216 
Omagh,  journey  through,  388 
Ordination,  Wesley's,  xix,  xxxl 
Organisation  in  rehgious  work, 

necessity  of,  298,  422 
Ormiston,  preaching  at,  395 
Osmotherley,  visit  to,  277 
Otley,  journey  through,  416' 
Owstone  Church,  preaching  in, 
455 

Oxford,  Wesley  and 

Christ  Church,  entry  at,  xviii, 
xxxi 

College  chapel,  preaching  in, 

40.  77.  125 
election,  parliamentary,  vote 

at,  193 

Evans's,  Mr.,  preaching  at, 
193 

Holy  Club,  see  that  title 
Lincoln  College,  election  to 

Fellowship  of,  xix,  xxxi 
Prisons,  mission  work  in 
Bocardo  Prison,  45 
Castle  Prison,  39 
residence  at,  i 
tutorship,  xxxi 
visits  to,  39,  41,  69,  198 
Oxford's,  Bishop  of,  commenda- 
tion of  prison  work,  2 
Oxmanstown  Green,  preaching  at, 
158,  160 

Paddiham,  preaching  at,  280,  324 
Painswick,  preaching  at,  335 
"  Parish,"  Wesley's,  55 
Parkgate,  preaching  at,  285 
Parks  s,  Joan,  courage,  120 
Parliament,  Houses  of 
England 

George  IIl.'s  speech,  460 
House  of  Lords,  226  4  59 
Ireland,  comments  on,  463 
Pascal's  "Thoughts,"  comments 
on,  204 

Pebworth  Church,  squire's  pro- 
hibition of  Wesley's  preaching 
in,  336 

Peckhara,  retirement  at,  480 


INDEX 


£03 


Pedras,  preaching  at,  i66 
Peel,  preaching  ai,  435 
Peel  Castle,  ruins  oi,  416 
Pembrock's,  Alderman,  protection 

of  Methodists,  184,  187 
Pembroke 

preaching  at,  317.  378 
Swansea,  difficult  journey  to, 
318 

Pembrokeshire,  lack  of  organisa- 
tion in,  298 
Pendennis  Castle,  visit  to,  222 
Penmaen-Mawr,  journey  through, 
236 

Penn,  Sir  W.,  "Life  of,"  com- 
ments on,  460 
Penruddock    Moor,  wanderings 

on,  174 
Penryn,  preaching  at,  221 
Pensford 

preaching,  48,  50,  270 
riotous  attack,  82 
Pentecost,  Wesley's  day  of,  293 
Penzance 

Channel  Islands,  voyage  from, 
469 

preaching  at,  342,  479 
treatment     of  Methodists, 
changes  in,  268 
Perfection,  Christian,  letter  on, 347 
Perranwell,  preaching  at,  151 
Persecution  of  Methodists,  126, 
216,  243,  423, 
see  also  Magistrates,  Mobs,  &c. 
Persehouse's,  Justice,  proclamation 
against  Methodist  preachers,  121 
Penh,  Wesley's  presentation  with 

freedom  of,  374 
Peter  the  Great,  Life  of,  227 
Philadelphia,  work  in,  350 
Pictures 

Glasgow    College  Library, 

paintings  in,  239 
Hampton  Court,  criticism  on 
pictures  at,  370 
Pilkington,  Mrs.,  interview  with, 
182 

Pill,  preaching  at,  227 

Pilmoor,    Joseph,   volunteer  for 

work  in  America,  347 
Placey,  field  preaching  to  colliers 
at,  los 

change  effected  by,  241 
Plaistow,  preaching  at,  62 
Play  houses  and  players 

"Macbeth,"  performance  of, 
225 


Play'  ouses  and  players 

Newcastle,  burlesque  on  Me- 
thodism at,  124 
opinions  on,  215,  226,  302, 
338,  454 

Plen  lerleith,  Mr.,  friendship  with, 

452 
Plv  mouth 

mobbing  at,  150 
preaching  at,  326,  343,  44a 
visit  to,  360 
Pocklington,  preaching  at,  324, 
413 

Polperro,  field  preaching  at,  343 
Poor,  obligation  of  visiting,  206, 
412 

Population  of  England,  increase 

in,  407 

Port  Glasgow,  preaching  at,  373 
Port  Isaac,  visits  to,  327,  359 
Portraits,  Wesley  sits  for  his,  369, 

469,  476 
Portsmouth 

aft",  ction  for  the  people  of, 

Wesley's,  361 
Dock,  account  of  fire  at,  361 
prtaching  at,  210,  365,  425 
Potten,  preaching  at,  148 
Potter's    "Grecian  Antiquities,' 

revision  of,  192 
Potters,  preaching  to,  314 
Poverty,  Wesley's,  50,  213,  442 
Prayer 

ailments  cured  in  answer  to, 

75,  126,  146,  191 
extempore  prayer,  divergence 
from  church  practices,  73, 
474.  478 
Preachers,  Methodist 
America 

appointment  of  preachers 

for,  456 
volunteers  for  work  in, 
347 

Impressment    of,   see  Press- 
gangs 

lay  preachers,  first  employ- 
ment of,  xxxi 
marriage,  duties  in  regard  to, 

196 

nicknames  given  to,  133,  185 
number  in  1791  and  1901, 
xxxii 

preaching  of  Cornish  miner, 
244 

property  of,  Wesley's  views 
on,  190 


504 


INDEX 


Preachers,  Methodist 

time  devoted  by  Wesley  to, 

368 

for  particular  preachers  see 

their  names 
Preaching,  Wesley's  ^ 

accidents  during  48,  62,  440 
five  o'clock  sei  vices,  451,  454 
obstructionists,  Wesley's  me- 
thods with,  72,  80,  192 
pay  of,  207 

see  a/jo  Field  preaching.  Mobs, 
&c. 

Preaching-houses 

collections  for,  154,  203 
erection  of 

America,  357 
Birmingham,  opening  of 

new  house  at,  440 
Bradford,  324 
Bristol,  see  that  title 
City  Road  Chapel,  413, 

420 
Dover,  261 
Dudley,  302 
New  Mills,  337 
Parkgate,  283 
Keith,  Wesley's  purchase  of 

preaching-house  at,  409 
Limerick,  lease  of  abbey  near, 
169 

responsibility   for  expenses, 

Wesley's,  49 
sites,  purchase  of,  49,  102, 127 
Press-gangs 

disturbances  by,  60,  227 
injustice  of,  60 
preachers,  impressment  of 
warrant  issued  in  Corn- 
wall for,  127 
seizure  of  Methodists  by, 
257 

Wesley,  threatened  impress- 
ment of,  132 
Preston  Field,  battle  of,  197 
Pretender,  the 

invasion   of  Great  Britain, 
139  , 

Wesley  s  alleged  assistance  of, 
136-  14s 

Priestley  s,    Dr.,  "Electricity, 

comments  on,  334 
Prisons 

condition  of,  205,  xxiii 
reform,  Wesley's  letter  to  the 

Daily  Chronicle  on,  271 
tee  also  names  of  prisons 


Providences,  remarkable,  224, 254, 

397 

Pudsey,  preaching  at,  425 
Punctuality,  Wesley's,  249 
Purfleet,  preaching  at,  458 
Purton,  crossing  the  Severn  at,  228 

Quakers 

Enniscorthy,  refusal  of  use  of 

meeting-house,  385 
intercourse  with,  38,  114 
Queen sborough,  visits  to,  420 
Queensborough's,  Duke  of,  seat 
in  Scotland,  239,  255 

Ramsay,  preaching  at,  435 
Ratbcormuck 

funeral,  Irish,  howling  at,  187 

journey  to,  171 
Reading 

books,  read,  see  Books 

opportunities  for,  353 
Reading,  Berks 

bargemen's  attack,  frustration 
of.  153 

preaching  at,  190,  217 
Redruth 

preaching  at,  292,  327,  392, 
479 

treatment  of  Methodists, 

change  of,  269 
visits  to,  127,  359,  413 
Relief,  charitable,  322 

collections  for,  70,  74,  457, 
463 

employment  of  poor,  74 
Knowle,  French  prisoners  at, 
262 

labour  colony  in  London,  72 
lending  fund,  147 

Remedies,  Wesley's  medical 
briar-leaves  for  cuts,  327 
brimstone  plaster,  214 
electricity,  see  that  title 
nettles  for  pleurisy,  169,  317 
treacle  for  bruises,  321 

Resolutions  at  commencement  of 
ministry  in  England,  35 

Retirement,  Wesley's  love  of,  189, 
440 

Reverence 

fieH  preaching,  behaviour  at, 
165 

HoUand,  churches,  in,  445 
Reynolds,  Mr.,  visit  to,  at  Fel- 

sham,  366 


INDEX 


505 


Reynolds's,  Sir  J.,  portrait  of 

Wesley,  477 
Rich,  reception  of  the  gospel  by 

the,  50,  53,  57,  172,  202,  228, 

258,  263,  274,  300,  306,  314, 

341,  374,  408,  415,  468 
Richard  II.,  effigy  of,  at  Berkeley 

Castle,  398 
Riches,  danger  of,  300,  426,  474 
Richler,   Schulius,  acquainiance 

with,  33 

Riddel,  Mr.,  purchase  of  ground 

at  Newcastle  from,  102 
Riding,  Wesley's,  -xiv 

accidents,  58,  62,  107,  154, 
156,  178,  250,  305,  321,  360 
record  rides,  188,  189,  259, 

3".  316 
see  also  Horses 
Ridley,  Alderman,  letter  to,  143 
Riots,  see  Mobs 
Roads,  Wesley  and  the  high 

badness  of  roads,  200,  207, 

.299.  305,  346,  357.  401 
highwaymen,   danger  Irom, 

418,  441 
Scotland,  condition  of  roads 
in,  207 

turnpikes,  imposition  of,  357 
Roberts's,  James,  spiritual  expe- 
riences, 270 
Robertson's  "History  of  Charles 

v.,"  comments  on,  374 
Robinhood's  Bay 

erection  of  preaching-house, 
423 

preaching  at,  209,  278 
Rochdiile,  changed  treatment  of 

Methodists  at,  174 
Rocs-fair,  difficult  journey  to,  316 
Rolvenden,     legal  proceedings 

against  magistrate  at,  321 
Roman  History,  compilation  of, 

192 

Rome,  Church  of,  saints  canonised 
by,  283 

Romky,  Mr.,  incumbent  of  Ep- 

worth,  relations  witli,  86,  104 
Romney's  portrait  of  Wesley,  476 
Roslyn,  impressions  of,  426 
Rosmead,  ride  to,  265 
Rotherham,  preaching  at,  304 
Rotterdam,  impressions  of,  443 
Roughlee,  mobbing  at,  161 
Rousseau  on  Education, comments 

on,  351 
Royader,  journey  to,  aaS 


Runwick  Church,  preaching  in,  62 
Rutty,  Dr.,  medical  attendance  of, 

159.  169 
Rye,  preachmg  at,  366 
Ryegate,  preaching  at,  363 
Ryegate  Place,  visit  to,  368 


Sadler's  Wells  Theatre,  preach- 
ing at,  215 

St.  Agnes,  preaching  at,  244,  327, 
342.  359.  392,  412 

St.  Alban's  Abbey,  visit  to,  359 

St.  Andrew's  Church,  Holborn, 
preacliing  forbidden  at,  33 

St.  Andrews,  impressions  of,  409 

St.  Ann's  Church,  Aldersgate, 
preaching  forbidden  at,  42 

St.  Antholin's  Church,  sermons  in, 
42,  45,  421 

St.  Austle,  preaching  at,  243,  392 

St.  Bennett's  Church,  "Paul's 
Wharf,  Wesley  fori  idden  to 
preach  at,  42 

St.  Botolph's,  Bishopsgate,  preach- 
ing at,  45 

St.  Clement's  Church,  Strand, 
sermon  at,  45 

St.  Columb,  preaching  at,  327 

St.  David's,  impressions  of,  433 

St.  Helier,  visit  to,  467 

St.  Hilary 

erection  of  preaching-house, 
326 

field  preaching  at,  1x1 
St.  John  the  Evangelist's,  London 

preaching  prohibited  in,  33 
St.    John's    Cliurch,  Wapping 

preaching  forbidden  at,  42 
St.  Just 

field  preaching  at,  iii,  129, 

223,  244,  268,  479 
preaching-house,  laying  foun- 
dation-stone, 224 
Wesley  arrested  at,  X30,  138 
St.    Katherine    Cree's  Church, 
London,  preaching  forbidden 
at,  42 

St.  Katherine  of  Genoa,  criticism 

on  Life  of,  283 
St.  Lawrence's  Church,  London, 
preaching  in,  34 
prohibition  of,  42 
St.    Luke's     Church,  London, 

preaching  in,  480 
St.  Luke's  Churcli,  Old  Street, 
charity  sermon  at,  421 


506 


INDEX 


St.    Margaret's    Church,  Rood 

Lane,  preachhig  in,  421 
St.  Michael's  Mount,  visit  to,  128 
St.  Patrick,  story  of,  159 
St.  Paul's  Cathedral 

anthems  at,  43  ^ 
irreverence  of  congregation  at, 
16s 

St.    Paul's    Church,  Shadwell, 

preaching  at,  485 
St.   Peter's,  Cornhill,  preaching 

at,  42s 

St.  Stephen's,  field  preaching  at, 
246 

St.  Stephen's  Church,  Walbrook, 

visit  to,  254 
St.  Swithin's  Church,  invitation  to 

preach  at,  442 
St.  Thomas's  Church,  invitation 

to  preach  at,  442 
St.  Ives,  Cornwall 

bribery,  opposition  of  Metho- 
dists to,  152 
change  of  conduct  towards 

Methodists,  138,  152,  359 
mayor,  loan  of  boat  from,  112 
preaching  in,  109,  129,  267 
Riot  Act,  proclamation  of,  130 
smuggling,  see  that  title 
St.  Ives,  Hunts,  first  Methodist 

preaching  at,  402 
Salisbury 

journey  through,  35,  190,  365, 
398 

preaching  at,  398 
Salisbury's,  Lord,  seat  at  Hatfield, 

comments  on,  462 
Sandliutton,  ride  to,  107 
Sarney,  Mr.,   member  of  Holy 

Club,  34 
Savannah,  ministry  at 

appointment  to,  9,  15 
controversy  with  parish- 
ioners, see  Williamson, 
Mrs. 

departure  from,  24 
expenses,  account  of,  16 
Savoy  Chapel,  preaching  at,  42 
Scarborough,  preaching  in  storm 

at,  278 
Schools,  Wesley  and 

boarding  schools,  fashionable, 

influence  of,  371 
Castlebar,   neglected  condi- 
tion of  Charter-school  at, 
387 

Charterhouse,  see  that  title 


Schools,  Wesley  and 

Highgaie,  visit  to,  475 
Huntingdon's,   Countess  of 

school  at  Trevecka,  348 
Jersey  College,  visit  to,  467 
Kingswood  School,  see  that 

title 

Maxwell's,  Lady,  school  at 

Edinburgh,  438 
Scilly  Isles,  visit  to,  113 
Scoon,  vi;it  to,  240 
Scotland 

baptism,    administration  Ot 

S  -otch  rite  of,  239 
congregations,  comments  on, 
197,  240,  308,  309,  375,  377 
impressions  of,  197,  198,  239, 
310 

inns,  197,  207,  311,  3SS 
Lord's  Supper,  administration 
of,  311 

ministers,  cordiality  of,  209, 

308,  354 
preaching 

discontinuance  of  morn- 
ing preaching,  454 
Wesley's  first  sermon  in 

kirk,  209 
see  also  names  of  places 
tours  in,  197,  207,  238,  306, 
338,  353.  372.  394.  408,  426, 
438.  452 
universities,  see  that  title 
Scotter 

preaching  at,  455 
riots,  suppression  of,  at,  304 
Second  sight,  instances  of,  56,  280 
Selby,  preaching  at,  437 
Selkirk,  "  Lord  of  the  Stables  "  at, 
37- 

Senrian,  preaching  at,  in 
"Sentimental   Journey  through 
France  and  Italy,"  comments 
on,  370 
Sernjons  by  Wesley 

charity  sermons,  404,  421 
City  Road  Chapel,  dedication 

sermon,  420 
Ecclesiastes,  series  of  sermons 

on,  412 
first  sermon,  366,  xxxi 
funeral  sermons 

Wesley's,    Mrs.  Susan- 
nah, 89 
Whitefield's,  361,  363 
judgment  of  his  own  sermons, 
Wesley's,  418 


INDEX 


507 


Sermons  by  Wesley  I 
last  scimon,  xxvii,  xxxil 
length  of  sermons,  63,  64,  88  | 
number,  daily,  igS,  1276,  342, 

357.  437    '  I 
texts,  see  that  title 
thanksgiving  sermon  for  pro-  | 

gress  of  work  in  England, 

220 

Servant,  dismissal  of,  475 
Setile,  preaching  at,  416 
Seven  Dials 

electrical  treatment  for  idck 

persons  at,  238 
preaching  in,  106,  195 
West  Street  Chapel,  see  that 
title  j 
Sevenoaks,  visit  to,  283,  429  1 
Severn  Bridge,   construction  of,  | 
422.  432  I 
Shaftesbury,  journey  through,  393 
Shakespeare's  Cliffy  visit  to,  363 
Shalwood,  W. ,  recovery  from  ill- 
ness in  answer  to  prayer,  126 
Shannon,  river,  157 
Sheerness 

governor's  refusal  of  chapel, 
420 

preacbing-house,  erection  by 
voluntary  workers,  461 

tenements  on  men  of-war,  333 
Sheffield,  preaching  at,  243,  282, 

428  1 
Shepherd,  Mr. 

arrest  of,  130 

journeys  with,  137,  146 
Sheppey,  Isle  of,  visit  to,  420 
Shepton  Mallet,  393 

erection  of  Methodist  build- 
ing, 293 

mobbing  at,  155 

preaching  at,  291 

riding  accident  at,  156 
Shincliff,  preaching  at,  427 
Shoreham,  visits  to,  212,  283,  321 
Shrewsbury,  preaching  at,  273, 

284,  422,  432 
Shronill,  visit  to,  188 
Sick,  visiting,  205 

Bolton  Sunday  scholars,  474 

Holy  Club,  work  of,  2 

Society,    United,   rules  of, 
74 

Simmonds  "  s.  s.,  voyage  to 
America  on,  4 
Singing,  Wesley  and 

Bolton,  Methodist  choir,  474 


Singing,  Wesley  and 

Manx  singers,  criticisms  on, 
435.  ..       ,  ^ 

oratorios,  repetition  of  words 
in,  302 
Sitch,  W. ,  courage  of,  120 
Skilburness,  crossing  Solway  Sands 
to,  324 

Skinner  s  Alley,  Dublin,  preaching 

in,  158,  i63 
Slater's,  E.,  courage,  120 
Slave  Trade,  reflections  on,  370 
Sligo,  preaching  in  the  market- 
place at,  287 
Sloane's,  Sir  H.,  collection  in  Bri- 
tish Museum,  265 
Small-pox 

outbreaks  of,  300,  331 
treatment  of,  by  ignorant  doc- 
tors, 382 
Smith,  John,  mobbing  at  Ennis- 

killen,  388 
Smuggling,  abandonment  of,  by 
Wesley's  followers,  72 
Cornwall,  211,  292 
Dover,  321 
Sunderland,  241 
wrecked  vessels,  plundering, 
411 

Snow,    travelling    through,  see 

Weather 
Snowden,  Mr.,  journey  with,  431 
Snovvsfields,  preaching  at,  194 
Societies,  Methodist 
American,  350 
business 

balance  of  accounts,  year- 
ly. 442 
debts,  49,  81,  319 
income  of,  442 
London  business,  trans- 
ference from  Wesley  to 
stewards,  205 
conferences,  see  that  title 
development  of,  417 
dissension  in,  164,  216,  261 
England,  societies  in 
Birmingham,  177 
Brentford,  328 
Colchester,  251,  458 
Dover,  321 

Liverpool,  growth  of,  337 
London,  establishment  of 
first  society  in,  41,  45, 
46,  399,  403 
Mousehole,  vigorous  so- 
ciety at,  460 


508 


INDEX 


Societies,  Methodist 

England,  societies  in 
Norwich,  261,  401 
Penzance,  342 
Placey,  society  of  colliers 
at, 

Plymouth,  150* 
St.  Ives,  Cornwall,  109, 
210 

Ireland,  societies  in 
Athlone.  288 
Cork,  171 
Dublin,  168 
Limerick,  170 
Man,  Isle  of,  societies  in,  435 
membership, 

restrictions  on,  72,  124, 

241.  321 
statistics,  xxxii 
object  of,  Wesley's  explana- 
tion, 477 
organi  ation 

classes,  division  into,  83, 

168,  170,  xxxi 
necessity  for,  298,  423 
Scotland 

Aberdeen,  338,  355 
Arbroath,  355 
Edinburgh,  personal  in- 
terviews with  members, 
307 
Keith,  409 
seceders  from,  102,  217,  238, 
482 

stewards,  interview  with,  277 
Wij^ht,  Isle  of,  210,  459 
zeal,  diminution  of,  483 
Society  for  the   Reformation  of 
Manners,  assisting  debt  of,  319 
Sodor  and  Man,  Bishop  of,  re- 
fusal of  Lord's  Supper  to  Metho- 
dist preachers,  415 
Solund-geese,  peculiar  method  of 

hatching  eggs,  377 
South-Biddick,  field  preaching  at, 
105 

South-Lye,  Wesley's  first  sermon 

preached  at,  366 
South-Petherton,  ruins  at,  419 
South  Shields,  preaching  at,  341 
Southwark,  electrical  treatment  of 

sick  persons  by,  238 
Spangenberg's,  Mr.,  German  pas- 
tor at  Savannah,  interview  with, 
8 

Spain,  16 

language,  study  of,  i6 


Spain 

Wesley's   alleged  i«triguej 
with,  78 
Spey,  452 
Spitalhclds 

preaching  at,  191,  212 
watch-night  service  at,  191 
Spitalfields  Church,  preaching  in, 
48s 

Stafiord,  journey  through,  36 
Staincross,  preaching  at,  2S2 
Stallbridge,    legal  proceedings 

against  rioters  at,  325 
Stamford,  journey  through,  148 
Stanley,  preaching  at,  62,  421 
Stanton-Harcourt,  visit  to,  34 
Statius's ' '  Thebais, " comments  on, 

168 

Stayley  Hall,  preaching  at,  145 
Steed,  Ann,  death  of,  293 
Stephenson,    Mr.,    purchase  of 

ground  at  Newcastle  from,  102, 

127 

Sticklepath,  meeting  with  Quakers 
at,  114 

Stilton,  journey  through,  148 
Stithians,  preaching  at,  137 
Stockdale's,  Mr.,  house,  destruc- 
tion of,  by  Cork  mob,  185 
Stockton,  preaching  at,  276 

interruption   by  press-gang, 
257 

Stokesley,  examination  of  Metho- 
dist society  at.  277 
Stone,  teaching;  in  the  inn  at,  38 
Stone's,  W. ,  house,  mob  attack  on, 
155 

Storms,  Wesley  in,  6,  13,  122, 
147,  168,  180,  198,  225,  220, 
28;.  286,  465 
Stroud,  preaching  at,  335,  421 
Sunday  Schools 

Bolton,  exemplary  school  at, ' 
470 

Lynn,  subscriptions  from,  484 
statistics,  xxxii 
Sunderland 

preaching  at,  241,  256 
society,  Methodist,  exclusion 
of  smugglers  from,  241,  256 
Sutherland, 's,  G.,  prosecution  of 

Wesley  at  Edinburgh,  395 
Sutton,  Hunts,  preaching  at,  401 
"  Swaddlers,"  nickname  of  Metho- 
dist preachers  in  Cork,  185 
Swaffham,  preaching  at,  484 
Swansea,  journey  to,  299,  318 


INDEX 


509 


Swearing,  Wesley's  objection  to, 
108 

rebukes  for,  105,  191,  305 
Swedenborg's  writings,  comments 

on,  352 
Swindells,  Mr. 

illness  of,  158 

mobbing  at  Sl  epton,  155 
Swiss  Guards  in  Holland,  446 
Sydore,  preaching  at,  388 


Tadcaster,  preaching  at,  414 
Talk-on -the-H  ill,  visit  to,  38 
TannabuU,  joui-ney  through,  229 
Tantallon  Castle,  visit  to,  377 
Tapestry,   Bishop  of  Durham's, 
429 

Taunton,  visits  to,  108,  349,  360, 
441 

Tavistock,  journey  to,  149,  150 

Taylor's,  Dr.,  meeting-house  at 
Norwich,  247 

Tea,  abstinence  from,  146 

Temper,  Wesley's,  411 

Temple  Maqueteer,  journey 
through,  160 

Terence's  "Adelphi,"  perform- 
ance of,  by  Westminster  scho- 
lars, 343 

Teulon's,  Miss,  school  at  High- 
gate,  preaching-  at,  475 

Tewkesbury,  preaching  at,  398 

Texts,  Wesley's,  9,  33,  34,  39,  40, 
47.  48.  50.  51.  54.  S7.  60-65,  71, 
72,  76-81,  83,  85,  87-89,  104- 
106,  108-114, 129,  130,  137,  138, 
140,  151,  160,  161,  165,  168, 
170,  173-176,  187, 193,  198-201, 
220,  222,  225,  238,  256,  258,  261, 
263,  273,  274,  292,  306,  315,  320, 
325,  326,  328,  340.  346,  359,  373, 
386,  408,  428,  437,  453-457.  466, 
468,  473,  480.  48s 

Thanksgiving  d^ys,  observance  of 
in  Methodist  society,  221,  441 

Thanksgiving,  national,  264 

Thetford,  journey  through,  248 

Thirsk 

Methodist  society  at,  220 
preaching  at,  306 

Thomas's,  Howell,  preaching  at, 
179 

Thomas's,  Rev. ,  efforts  to  rescue 

Wesley  from  mob,  134 
Thomsons  "Works,"  comments 

on.  379 


Tliornbury,  preaching  at,  59 

Thorne,  visit  to,  437 

Thorny  Hiil,  journey  through,  207 

Tinners 

Cornwall,  Methodist  tinner's 
sermon  in,  244 

preaching  to,  110,  114,  130 
Tipperary,    Wliiteboys  disturb- 
ances at,  289 
Tiverton,  journey  through,  359 
Todmorden,  preaching  at,  219 
Tolcarn 

mob  attack  at,  137 

threatened  arrest  at,  136 
Tonnylommon,  preaching  at,  387 
Tracoon,  visit  to  Admiral  Vaugh an 
at,  455 

Tracts,  Wesley's,  150,  329,  378, 
403 

Trade,  English,  development  of, 
407 

Trances,  accounts  of,  259,  264 
Travels,  Wesley  and  his 

benefit  to  health,  397,  411, 

439,  460,  472 
fens,  travelling  through,  see 
Fens 

ferry  crossing,  delay  and  dan- 
ger from,  78,  122,  171,  178, 
179,  188,  228,  229,  252,  295, 
301,  318  343,  378 

moors,  journeys  across,  109, 
174 

religious  converse  with  fellow 

travellers,  duty  of,  75 
roads,  see  that  title 
sands,  crossing,  253,  318,  323 
snow,  148,  228,  354,  369 
storms,  see  that  title 
sufferings  from  cold  and  rain, 
105,   147,   178,   194,  212, 
22;,   229,   248,   276,  284, 
338.  484 
see  also  Voyages 
Treacle-cure,  169 
Trefollwin,  preaching  at,  179 
Tre\ecka 

Harris,  Howell,  visit  to,  at, 
228 

Himtingdon' s.  Countess  of 
birthday  celebrations,  348 
Trezuthan  Downs,  preaching  on 

no,  113 
Truro 

preaching  at,  292,  342,  39a 
visit  to  friends  at,  245 
Tuam,  visit  to,  235 


510 


INDEX 


Tucker,  William,  Irish  journey 

with,  i68 
TuUamore,  visits  to,  157,  231 
Tunbridge  Wells,  preaching  at, 

429 

Turner's  Hall,  subsiderite  of  floor 
in,  62 

Turnpikes,  opinion  01,  357 
Tybee  Island,  anchorage  near,  7 
Tynemouth  Castle,  visit  to,  341 
Tyrrol's  Pass,  preaching  at,  159 

Universities 

Oxford,  see  that  title 
Scotland, 

organisation  in,  410 
visit  to,  208 
Upton,  preaching  at.  335 
Utrecht,  impressions  of,  449 

Vasey's,   Mr.,   appointment  to 

work  in  America,  456 
Vassen  lar's,  Mme.  de,  hospitality 

at  the  Hai;ue,  446,  447 
Vaughan,  Adni.,  visit  to,  455 
Visions 

second  sight,  instances  of,  66, 
280 

sky,  appearances  in,  223 
Voltaire,  criticisms  of,  352 
Voyages,  Wesley  and  his 

advice  on,  Wesley's,  250 

Americiin  voyage,  4,  27 

Channel  Islands,  464,  469 

Holland,  443,  450 

Ireland,  161,  168,  172,  180, 
204,  230,  236,  286,  384 

Scilly  Isles,  112 

wreckage,    narrow  escapes 
from,  171,  431,  464 

Wakefield,  preaching  at,  313 
Wales,  Wesley's  travels  in 

scenery,  236,  298,  316,  433 
tours  in,  63,  64,  78,  166,  178, 
228,  236,  298,  315,  432 
for  particular  places,  see 
their  names 

Walsal 

mobbing  at,  n6 
treatment     of  Methodists, 
change  in,  303 
Wapping 

French  chapel,  farewell  ser- 
mon in,  83 
opening  of  new  chapel,  301 
preaching  at,  34,  225 


Ward's,  Francis,  house  attacked 

by  mob,  114 
Ware's,  Sir  J.,  "  Antiquities  of 

Ireland,"  comments  on,  158 
Warrington,  preaching  at,  218, 

322 

Watch-night  services,  83, 146, 153, 

191,  194,  300,  457.  474 
Water-spout  in  Cornwall,  268 
Waterford 

preaching  at 

mob  attacks  on  Metho- 
dists at,  188 
papist  riot,  386 
Whiteboys  rising  289 
Watson,  Mr.,  masons'  attack  at 

Knniskillen  on,  308 
Watts's,  Dr.,  "Treatise  on  the 

Fa>sions,"  abridgment  of,  344 
Waxwork  effigy,  Wesley's,  393 
WealliT  encountered  by  Wesley 
prayer,  change  of  weather  in 
answer  to,  174,  218,  219, 
469 

preaching  unhindered  by 
weather,  50,  67,  106,  157, 
273,  2S4,  307,  336,  342,  343 

see  also  Storms  and  Travelling 
Wi  ihiesijury 

niDbbing  at,  114 

preaching  at,  114,  177,  273, 

W. 'I  ng,  preaching  at,  283,  284, 

We  l-y,  Charles 

American  journey,  3 
Indians,  visit  to,  9 
return  to  England,  13 
l:ible  te.xts,  guidance  by,  46 
Ulackwells,    Mr.,   house  at 
Lewisliam,  farewell  visit  to, 
44 

Beliler's,  Peter,  religious  in- 

11  ence  on,  41 
hymns 

Garrick's  reported  treat- 
ment of,  480 
Wesley's  appreciation  of, 
481 

illness,  35,  190 

justification  by  faith,  experi- 
ence of,  42 
Kingswood,  visit  to,  66 
marnagewith  Sarah  Gwynne 
167 

Pentecost  of  Methodism,  295 
Plymouth,  work  at,  150 


INDEX 


511 


Wesley,  Charles 

portrait,  desire  for  Wesley's, 

368 

storm  crossing  the  Severn,  122 
work  in  the  Xorth,  147 
Wesley,  Mrs.  John 
daughter  of,  198 
death  of,  xxxii 
illness,  342 

journeys,  198,  206,  219 
son,  death  of,  215 
Wesley 

marriage  with,  194 
separation  from,  363 
Wesley,  Mrs.  Susannah,  xvii 
death  and  funeir  l,  89 
education  of  her  family,  letter 

on,  92,  93 
father  of,  see  Annesley,  Dr. 
field  preachingat  Kennington, 

attendance  at,  61 
jtistification  by  faith,  experi- 
ence of,  60 
preaching,  90 
visits  to,  Wesley's,  35,  56 
West-Bromwich   Heath,  preach- 
ing at,  336 
West  Street  Chapel 

preaching  in,  191,  198,  322, 

424,  458,  462,  475,  480 
repairs  to,  261 
Westminster  Abbey,   tombs  in, 
301.  364 

Whatcoat's,  Mr.,  appointment  to 
work  in  America,  456 

Whateley's,  M  ss,  "Poems,"  com- 
ments on,  336 

Whitby 

preaching  at,  278,  357 
situation  of,  209 

Whitby  Abbey,  visit  to,  278 

Whitchurch,  preaching  at,  365, 
432 

Whitoboys  rising,  289 
Whitefield,  Mr. 

death  and  funeral  sermons, 

361.  363 
field  preaching,  47 
Georgia,  voyage  to,  31 

return  from,  48 
Holland,    Whitefield's  ser- 
mons read  in,  449 
Interviews  with  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury  and  Bishop  of 
London,  84 
justification,   outward  signs 
of.  58 


Whitefield,  Mr. 

Kingswood  colliers,  success 

of  work  amongst,  68 
letter  from,  unauthorised  pub- 
lication of,  73 
Plymouth  Dock,  room  at,  326 
Wesley  and 

criticism  on  Whitefield's 

preaching,  177 
dispute,  73 

intercourse,  46,  57,  58,59, 

294,  320,  322,  344 
reconciliation,  225 
Whitehaven 

preaching  at,  414,  416 
visits  to,  253,  338,  407 
Whitehead's,  Dr.,  medical  atten- 

dince,  458,  xxvi 
Whitelarab's,  Mr.,  offer  of  use  of 

Wroote  Church,  88 
Whitfield,  Mr.,  association  with, 
442.  453 

Widdop,  escape  from  Barrowford 

mob  to,  164 
Wigan,  preaching  in  former  play- 
house at,  337 
Wight,  Isle  of 

impressions  of,  aio 
progress  of  Methodism  in,  459 
WigiQii,  preaching  at,  255,  407 
Will,  Wesley's,  363,  477 

codicil,  477 
William  the  Silent,  statue  at  Delft, 
446 

j   Williams's,  Mr.,  hospitality,  316 
I   Williamson,    ^ir.,  forbidden  to 
i      allow  Wesley  use  of  church,  220 
Williamson,  Mrs.,  controversy  at 
Savannah  with,  17 

charges  against  Wesley,  20 
warrant  for  Wesley's  arrest, 
18 

[  Wilson's,  Bishop,  tomb,  visit  to, 
i  435 

Winchelsea,  preaching  at,  366 
Winchester,  preaching  at,  361,  424 
Winchester  Cathedml,  visit  t.j,  365 
Windsor,  preaching  at,  153 
Windsor  Park,  Duke  of  CuniLer- 

land's  improvements  at,  367 
Windthrop's,  Alderman,  protec- 
tion of  Methodists  at  Cork,  184 
Wine,  abstinence  from,  4 
V\  interburn,  preaching  at,  190 
Wodrow's,     "  History    of  the 
Sulterings  of   the   Church  of 
Scotland,"  comments  on,  334 


INDEX 


Wolff,  Mr.  Wesley's  last  visit  to, 

XXV 

Wolsingham,  preaching  at,  377 
Wolverhampton,  first  experiment 

in  field  preaching  at,  273 
Women,  championship  6f  Wesley 

by,  120,  133,  185 
Woodseats,  preaching  at,  243 
Worcester,  preaching  at,  335 
Workhouses 

London,  visit  to  children's 

ward  in,  363 
mission  work  in,  46 
Wrestlingworth,    preaching  at, 
283 

Wright's,  Mrs.,  waxwork  e£5gies, 
393 

Writings,  Wesley's 

criticism  of  Wesley's  friend, 

205 

debt  incurred  by  publication, 

205,  237 
original 

"Calm  Address  to  the 
American  Colonies," 
403 

"Character  of  a  Metho- 
dist, '  329 
"  Discourses,"  360 


Writings,  Wesley's 
original 

"Lessons  for  Children," 

195 

"NevvTestamentNotes  " 

214,  265 
*'  Word  to  a  Freeholder," 

150 

proceeds,  disposition  of,  by 

codicil,  477 
revised  edition  371 
translation      of  Aldrich's 

"  Logic,"  179 
Wesley's  comments  on  his 

own  writings,  344 
see  also  Books 
Wroote  Church,  preaching  in,  83 

Yarm,  visit  to,  277 
Yarmouth,  preaching  at,  483 
York,  preaching  at,  220,  280,  324, 
414,  427 

York  Minster,  attendance  at  ser< 

vice  in,  220 
Young's,  Robert,  assault  on  We» 

ley,  126 

Zeeburg,  visit  to,  448 
Zennor,  preaching  at,  139,  a6a 


tiU  END 


DATE  DUE 


